


Sounds of Silence

by getyourfaceoutofmyface



Series: Amongst The Quiet [1]
Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Bisexuality, Descriptions of murder victims, Falling in love while solving a murder, M/M, Murder, Private Investigators, Serial Killers, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-08-09 22:13:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16457990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/getyourfaceoutofmyface/pseuds/getyourfaceoutofmyface
Summary: DCI Robert Sugden has spent the better part of a year chasing a serial killer he cannot identify. PI Aaron Dingle has just cracked a 15 year cold case and is fighting his instant fame. Thrown together, they form a partnership that leads them closer to finally solving the mystery. And to each other.





	1. Chapter 1

**3 Months Ago**

DCI Robert Sugden didn’t sleep like a normal citizen. He learned to survive on snatches of peace here and there. The things he’d seen, only exhaustion was able to take him under. He never slept for more than 4 hours at a time and that was with some whiskey to aid him.

He’d just been pouring his first glass of the evening when his mobile shrieked to life. He sagged his shoulders briefly, twisting the cap back on the bottle and reaching for his phone where it lay discarded on his messy coffee table.

“Sugden.”

“We’ve got another one.”

He could hear the slight waver in DSU White’s voice. He knew she was certain but he had to ask anyway.

“We’re sure?”

“Same type of dump site, same body mutilation. The son of a bitch is back, Sugden.”

He was already grabbing his keys, checking that his wallet and identification were in his pocket.

“Text me the location. I’m leaving now. How long?”

How long had the victim been dead? How long since the body had been found? How much longer was this nightmare going to last?

The exhaustion was evident in his commanding officer’s voice, this one was getting to them all.

“Body was discovered 45 minutes ago. Going to keep the press away as long as we can. Tate will meet you there.”

They didn’t bother with pleasantries, just ended the call as Robert headed for the door. He stopped with his hand on the doorknob. Spinning back he reached for the tumbler of whiskey still sitting on his kitchen counter. He downed it in one go.

He knew he’d need it.

The address was right at the docks on the far end of town. He headed towards the flood lamps that lit up the night sky. Thankfully the rain was holding off, a small miracle for this time of year. If it could stay a few more hours there wouldn’t be any lost evidence. Not that they’d found any before but he was hoping for a miracle. 

Robert prayed this time he’d slip up, give them something to go on. Anything other than another body in a bag and a crushed family to try and console.

He let the uniform officer hold up the crime scene tape as he ducked under. He saw DCI Tate speaking to a shaking man clutching a hard hat. Probably the poor sod who discovered the body. He was in for some sleepless nights of his own. Robert would deal with him later. He made for the canvas pop up tent, not surprised to see the flurry of activity taking place in the small space.

Three plastic suited individuals looked ready to head for outer space rather than the mundane task of combing for evidence.

Robert steeled his breath as he crouched down to take in their victim. Young male, 20 years old tops, naked, black holes where his eyes should be. No doubt the autopsy would confirm what Robert already knew, they’d been burned out. 

The body was covered to the chest by a white plastic sheet. He didn’t dare reach out, and if he could get away with it Robert wouldn’t look at the body at all.

Who are you? Why you? 

Tell me who killed you. Give me something.

Please.

“Sugden, nice night for a dance in the moonlight.”

Vanessa Woodfield was far too perky for her job description. She’d smile at you and crack a joke in her sunny way while carving up a cadaver on her steel table. She looked like a child dressed up for Halloween behind her plastic goggles.

Anyone else he’d sneer but Vanessa was good at her job, and she knew how much this case was taking a toll on him, on them all.

“If you’re asking Woodfield I’m game, but I lead.”

That got him a soft smile and a twinkle in her eyes, evident when she removed the goggles and pushed them up her forehead. Anyone else would think they were flirting but Vanessa had two kids and a feisty wife at home. Robert met her once at their Christmas party a few months back, she was scary. Very scary. Robert liked his testicles where they were.

She bent down beside him, took her gloved hand and gingerly peeled back the plastic. Robert had been expecting it, knew what he would see, but it still felt like a punch to his chest. Air wheezed out of his lungs as he stood up.

He didn’t need to hear anything else. Nothing else mattered. Who this kid was, the last time he was seen alive, the reason he was picked. Right now all he was was a body on the ground, stinking of bleach with the word “CHOOSE” carved in block letters across his stomach.

“I’ll be starting my autopsy as soon as we get the body back to the lab. Priority one, from top brass. But from what I can tell the same as the others, asphyxiation, no sign of sexual trauma, eyes burned out and stomach mutilation done post mortem. Of course I won't be able to confirm that for a few more hours.”

Robert nodded his head.

“Thanks Vanessa, let me know.”

He got out of the small space, the stink of bleach and death felt like it was following him. Clinging to him. He pulled out his phone, putting it to his ear, pretending to make a call. He walked past Tate, held up his finger to signal he’d be with him in a second. He rounded behind some containers, where no one could see him, leaned over the edge of the wall and threw up into the murky dark water below him.

It never got easier, seeing them like that. Someone’s child. A human being carved up like a tree trunk because some sick bastard needed to get his kicks.

He wiped his mouth on the handkerchief he kept in his pocket and popped a piece of peppermint gum into his mouth. Turning away from the water he headed back to his scene and hopefully one step closer to catching this twisted fucker.

**********

**Present Day**

Aaron’s days went pretty much however he wanted them to, such was the life of the self employed. It wasn’t Aaron’s dream to be a private investigator. His whole life he’d wanted to be a cop. He took a fair share of shit for it too, being a Dingle. They weren’t exactly known for their clean hands. Still nothing had made him prouder than putting on his uniform for the first time. And nothing had hurt more than having that dream tainted so badly that he couldn’t go backwards.

So he’d been smart, found a new way to do what he’s always wanted. Help those that needed help and avenging those that couldn’t do it for themselves. He could pick the cases he wanted, he didn’t do it for the money. Sometimes he’d take a cheating spouse here and there, remind himself why marriage and commitment weren’t his thing. Because everyone lies. Everyone cheats. He has hard drives full of photos to prove it.

What he was good at was finding the missing, making the connection somehow in his gut. It was a challenge, but one with real life consequences when he failed. He only took the cases he believed in and payment from those who could afford it.

But every man needed a hobby and his was cold cases. The big puzzles that no one could solve. His last one had taken a year of every spare moment he had. Sleepless nights pouring over the same copied police files. Morning runs where he replayed the interview audio as his feet hit the pavement. Because he knew there was a piece he was missing, that everyone was missing.

Until he’d found it.

So that morning he listened to heavy thumping rock music as he ran in the fine mist of rain falling over Hotten. He was allowing himself more time before he picked his next project. Living a little, or as much as a man like him could.

He stopped in front of his building, stretching out his legs and smiled at Doug through the shop window. Doug gave him a small wave and tapped his watch, pointing out that Aaron had slept in that morning. A rare thing in his world. Doug joked he could set his clock to Aaron’s 6:00am morning run.

He shrugged his shoulder, and held up one finger, and Doug nodded. His coffee would be waiting for him in the office after his shower. The perks of living above a cafe.

He went through the side door and up the staircase to the level where his office was. Matty wasn’t in just yet. Aaron rapped the frosted glass with it’s cliche gold leaf letters. 

“AD Investigations”

Everyone thought it stood for his initials, only he knew the truth. Aaron liked having secrets, he never wanted anyone to know everything. This was just his.

He made for the short spiral staircase that led to his flat on the top floor. It wasn’t much, but he didn’t spend a lot of time up here anyway. A place to sleep and store his clothes more than anything. His office was where he spent most of his waking hours, he liked it that way. He made and drank his morning protein shake quickly. He wasn’t a health nut by any means but he could get so lost in a case he’d forget to eat. Even Aaron could admit he was a right ass when he was hungry.

A quick shower and he changed into his normal gear. Jeans and a black jumper, his trainers were top drawer. The one thing he splurged on. He grabbed his tablet and headed down the stairs, lights on inside showed that Matty had arrived.

Aaron had nothing on the books today so he thought he’d go through his cold case list and pick his next obsession. His brain had rested enough, it needed a mystery to solve.

Matty was leaning back in his chair, feet up on his desk as he typed on the keyboard in his lap. He was chewing on a pen and gave Aaron a quick jerk of his head towards the steaming takeaway coffee cup by his feet. A small brown bag laid beside it. Doug was a treasure.

“‘Morning, Boss.”

Aaron grunted reaching for the bag and sneaking a peek inside. Apple danish, Aaron’s favourite. Bless you, Doug.

“I’m not paying you to spend the day surfing dating websites.”

Matty just grinned at him. Matty was single, and pining for a friend of theirs. Aaron had told him many times to make his move. Matty just assured Aaron he was waiting for the right time. Somehow in the last year that hadn’t happened yet.

“Hilarious. Actually I’m responding to another request for an interview. BBC News this time, and they’re offering a pretty penny for you to show.”

Not bloody likely.

“Tell them to fuck off.”

“Always the diplomat. Look I know you said…”

Aaron stopped him with a look. They’d been through this more times in the last four weeks than was necessary.

“Matty, no interviews. For either of us. Or do I need to remind you of that non disclosure agreement I had you sign when I hired you.”

Not that Aaron was worried, they were mates before all this started and they’d stayed that way.

He headed towards his office door, and made for his own desk. Unfortunately Matty hadn’t taken the hint and was hot on his heels.

“I get no interviews but how about the book deal? I mean that’s amazing.”

“Yeah, because I can write for shite.”

“They have ghost writers for that stuff. You wouldn’t really have to do anything.”

Aaron cocked his eyebrow and narrowed his eyes. Matty just sighed, never as scared of his boss as Aaron would like him to be. Thankfully he knew when Aaron made up his mind it was made.

“Now leave me be. I’m sure there is some work for you to do. Maybe file something?”

It was an old joke between them. Aaron with his constant notes and legal pads full of scribble that Matty insisted on scanning and transcribing. Aaron’s ever present tablet connecting to the Cloud of information that Matty always kept up to date. He didn’t pay him for nothing.

His morning went by pretty fast. He went over two case files that looked intriguing. One a missing person over 7 years old and the other an unsolved murder two decades prior. They both had potential and he was writing some notes when his desk phone beeped at him. He hit the button in annoyance.

“Better be good, Matty.”

“I have a DSU Chrissie White on hold for you.”

Now that was a name Aaron hadn’t heard in a while.

“Send it through. And go get some lunch. For both of us.”

In 2 seconds his phone was ringing and he picked up the receiver with a smile on his face.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

The words he heard next would change his life in every way possible, he just didn’t realize it at the time.

“Dingle, I need your help.”

*********

“Ma’am, all due respect but you have got to be kidding me here.”

Robert knew that she wasn’t. Their task force hadn’t gotten anywhere in the last three months. No new leads, no new evidence, nothing that had them any closer to some answers. But to bring in an outsider, the term “consultant” was too loose a phrase. Some young PI who lucked out in solving an old case. He was the golden boy of the moment in the British press. Hell even most of the force admired him. Robert wasn’t one of them.

This wasn’t what Robert expected to deal with first thing on a Friday morning.

Chrissie White leaned forward over her hands, elbows propped up on her desk. She was hard as nails, you didn’t rise as high as she did in their line of work without a spine of iron. Being a woman just meant she had to be that much tougher, and take a lot less bullshit from her team.

Normally they got along great but today wasn’t Robert’s day.

“We’re not getting anywhere, Sugden. We need this solved, at most we have three months before they strike again. We’ve been able to keep the sordid details out of the press for now but our luck wont hold out for much longer. Once the press gets a whiff that these murders are connected…”

Then all hell would break loose. Three random people. Three random deaths. No one outside knew about the serial killer and their markings. Robert was surprised it hadn’t been linked before now. Robert fiddled with the end of his tie, a habit he’d picked up when he quit smoking two years ago. Damn if he didn’t want one right now.

“But can we trust him?”

Robert didn’t trust anybody, barely his brothers in arms. He learned at a young age the only person you had watching your back was yourself. Don’t depend on anyone else or you could wind up dead. Probably why DCI Tate and him got along so well. Partners who never worked together if they could help it.

“I commanded Dingle years ago when he was new to the brass. He was good police. He still has a lot of respect around here, how else would he get his hands on those cold case files?”

Robert had to concede that point, no matter how much he didn’t want to. White took in his grimace and squared her shoulders.

“Look, this isn’t your call, it’s mine. He’s signed the necessary forms, I have assured him that he will be given as much access as he needs. He’s fresh eyes, Sugden. So you’re going to work with him, Tate will run the investigation in office. I expect daily reports from the both of you and constant communication. If anyone discovers anything new I want to know it as soon as possible.”

“Ma’am maybe Tate would be…”

“Don’t start with me. No one knows this case better than you. No one. I need your knowledge and Dingle’s mind on this together. End of story. I’ve already had Evidence put together a hard drive with all the case particulars, notes, photos, the works. Dingle requested you work out of his office, which I agreed with. A change of scenery might do you a world of good.”

With that Robert was dismissed. He stormed into the bullpen of other DCIs, slumped in his chair, resisted the urge to open his desk drawers just so he could slam them shut again. Tate saw his glower and couldn’t wait to pounce.

“So she told you yeah?”

Robert spun in his chair, tapped down his annoyance at Tate and plastered a smile on his face.

“Yep. Have fun running this shit show without me. If you need me I’ll be enjoying a few days away from your smug face.”

He could hear Tate’s laughter follow him out the door.

He headed to Evidence, picked up the file box that had a large external hard drive and some copies of newer notes that hadn’t been archived yet. He’d been assigned one of the newer unmarked vehicles for use, so that was something. At least the car would have heat.

The address he’s been given was on the other side of town, but closer to where Robert lived in his one bedroom carbon copy condo. At least his commute would be better for the foreseeable future. He pulled the car onto the right street, surprised to find it a mixture of quirky businesses and small niche shops. Not exactly the locale one would expect from a seedy private investigator.

Robert didn’t have anything against PI’s as a rule but he’d never been a fan of the ones he’d come across in the past. They were usually men who hadn’t made it on the force, didn’t like the rules and someone making them tow the line. Or they were ex-cops, trying to hold onto the last bit of their glory days by catching cheating husbands.

All he knew about Aaron Dingle was what the papers had shared and that wasn’t much. He was young though, 28 and out of the force since he was 25. The cold case, a missing person of a young teenage girl, had been unsolved for 15 years. That is until Dingle cracked it wide open, pointing the finger at a teacher at her school. Details were tight lipped until the trial but everyone was hailing Dingle as a hero. Robert figured he probably just got lucky.

Still the cop who’d given Dingle access to the files was smart police, now there was no way Dingle wouldn’t be able to get his hands on any dead case he wanted. It irked him somehow, because Robert worked hard at his job. He loved it to be honest, but you had to love it every second of every day. You didn’t clock out and go home to your family, that is if you even had one, which he didn’t.

He hadn’t been on a real date since the second victim showed up and they realized they had a serial on their hands. How long ago was that? Almost a year? Hadn’t helped that that woman had thought Robert being bisexual meant a threesome was in her future. He was no prude but it wasn’t exactly first date conversation. Maybe he was more old fashioned than he thought. He’d declined a second date, even if he had gone home with her that night.

He found a spot to park and walked a block to the number he was looking for. A three story building with an old stone and brick facade. There was a cafe that looked busy enough, which Robert hoped had good coffee. He saw a discreet gold arrow pointed towards the side. A metal door with a buzz pad and an obvious small camera awaited him. Getting the box up that filled his hands he pressed the button.

Two seconds later and a chipper voice filled the air.

“Hiya!”

Robert was stunned for a second, the guy sounded like a teenager. Great.

“Yeah, DCI Robert Sugden.”

“Right. You’re earlier than expected. Come on up!”

A buzz went off and the door popped open, high tech indeed. The entrance had a small landing and then a set of stairs heading up. They were narrower than Robert would have liked as he balanced the box in his arms. At the top what he saw reminded him of something out of 1930s noir film. Frosted glass windows and dark wood paneling, gold painted with “AD Investigations”. Dingle was clearly not creative. Robert noticed at the end of the wide hallway there was a metal spiral staircase and he couldn’t help but wonder where that led.

Suddenly the door swung open and a chipper sprite of a young man was beaming at him.

“Thought I’d get the door for you, hands being full and all. Come on in.”

Aaron Dingle didn’t look anything like Robert expected. Medium build, smiling face, boyish looking. But when he walked in Robert realized his mistake. The reception desk was empty but a cup of tea was still steaming. There was another door, closed with more dark paneling and frosted glass. He could hear the murmur of a voice coming from the other side.

“You can put the box down wherever. I’ll load everything up for you.”

Robert put the box down on the reception desk and extended his hand to whoever this kid was.

“DCI Robert Sugden.”

“I know. Matty Barton. I’m Aaron’s Guy Friday if you will. I answer phones, do all the tech stuff, basically keep him alive.”

Robert couldn’t help but smile at that as they had a firm but friendly shake.

“He’s just on the phone but shouldn’t be much longer. Have a seat. Can I get you a coffee or tea?”

Robert liked Matty already.

“Coffee please, cream and sugar?”

“No problem.”

He watched Matty head through a door to where Robert assumed a kitchen of some sort was. He took the moment to himself to take in his surroundings. It was spacious enough. Two club chairs and a coffee table with today’s paper sitting on it, from the looks of it already read and leafed through. Matty’s desk had a sleek set up, two screens and some gadgets Robert couldn’t identify. Some filing cabinets and bright but not overbearing lighting. It gave off the vibe of a comfortable waiting room, black and white street scene photography graced the soft gray walls.

He was about to take a seat when the door before him started to open, so he smoothed his suit jacket and made his face impassive. Robert was sure it didn’t stay that way long.

The first glimpse he got was firm muscle encased in a tight white jumper, black hoodie and dark blue jeans. Trainers Robert knew cost a pretty penny. But the head of dark hair was looking down at a yellow legal pad in his hands, mumbling to himself. Robert took in the thick arms and thighs, felt his throat go dry.

“Matty, I’m going to need you to...Oh.”

He looked up and spotted Robert, surprise on his face. Blue, Robert’s favourite colour, light and bright and breathtaking. Eyes like Robert had never seen before. Dark stubble over a stubborn chin and lips that were currently being rounded in shock. Dark gelled hair, enough to give it style but not too much that you couldn’t run your fingers through it. Robert felt a wave float through him. Desire, one he hadn’t experienced in a long time, if ever.

Oh.


	2. Chapter 2

Aaron hung up the call from DSU White and just sat back in his chair for a moment. To be honest he was more than stunned. They wanted his help on a murder case, a serial murder case. An active, open, serial murder case. Maybe it was morose but this had been a dream of Aaron’s since he was a child. He’d always wanted to work his way up in the force, no one wanted to stay a beat cop forever. He’d given up on that dream years ago, but someone was smiling down on him. That was certainly a first.

He’d taken notes during their conversation and was awaiting the proper paperwork before getting some brief info. He’d be working side by side with the head DCI, one Robert Sugden. He didn’t recognize the name but that didn’t mean anything. Aaron’s contacts had been the same for years, he’d never needed to branch out.

White had eluded to Sugden possibly being resistant to partnering with him but Aaron was to report any problems that came up. Time would tell if Sugden became an issue but Aaron would work around him if need be. He wasn’t letting this opportunity get fucked up by some old dog who didn’t like to share.

The most mysterious part of all was that he was assured this was indeed a serial killer. To his knowledge there had been no whiff of that in the press, or from his pals. They had this locked down tight, a near miracle in this day and age. It meant whoever they were looking for was dangerous and biding his time until they struck again.

White had agreed to his terms, working out of Aaron’s office and having complete access. It helped that he insisted on no consulting fee. He didn’t need the money and he wanted to show what was most important to him, the work. If this case went well and they decided to bring him in on something else later on, well then maybe he’d worry about getting paid. Plus White has been good to him in his first year on the force. Unfortunately she’d left and then it had all gone unbelievably wrong.

Aaron could feel the itch in his fingers. His brain was already ticking in his head, questions to ask, timelines to sort. Then he buzzed Matty to come in so he could give him the news. 

There were forms to fill out and courier over. Appointments for future clients to put off or cancel altogether. Matty was practically vibrating with excitement while Aaron just tried to keep a cool head about it all. He had Matty look into DCI Sugden and any cases over the last two years he may have been involved in. Sure, Aaron was getting all the information tomorrow but there was nothing wrong with having a head start. Matty could find only one case that had Sugden’s name attached. A murder of a man just over a year ago. Other than being labeled as suspicious there wasn’t much else shared. 

They lived in a big city; murder was unfortunately part of the game. This one fell to the wayside with its lack of scandal within a matter of days.

When Matty left that afternoon Aaron just turned in his chair, looked out his large windows at the city lights before him. The days were starting to get longer; it was May afterall. Summer would be here soon; with it came late night sun and hopefully a killer behind bars.

Aaron was up early the next morning, he finished his run long before Doug arrived. He was sitting at his desk lost in thought when Matty arrived at 9:00 am. Aaron knew Sugden was coming in first thing but that could be late afternoon. DCI’s made their own hours, long nights being the norm.

He was already anxious to get started when Matty transferred him a call from DCI Liam MacInnes, Aaron’s usual source for all things police related. Aaron had texted him last night asking for the call.

“Hey Liam, what can you tell me about DCI Robert Sugden?”

Aaron heard Liam’s low whistle over the phone. He could imagine the grey haired man’s forehead wrinkling in concentration.

“Who’d you piss off now, Dingle?”

“No one, you old git. I am going to be working with him on something and wanted to know if there are any skeletons in his closet.”

“Well I’ve met him but never worked with him. He’s a bit intense but he’s good at his job. I believe he was fast tracked on his way up, little bit of a superstar that one. Can’t say it isn’t warranted.”

“Is he clean?”

That was Aaron’s biggest concern, he’d learned his lessons the hard way.

“As far as I know. Want me to see what I can find out?”

Aaron wished he’d hesitated, could give this unknown man the benefit of the doubt, but fool me once and all that.

“I’d appreciate it, Liam.”

“You got it. So now about my son…”

“Liam, I am not going out with Simon. Besides he has a boyfriend; it’s not my fault you hate him.”

“Aaron, he’s a United fan. United! Simon knows we don’t swing that way in our family. I raised my son to be a self respecting Leeds man.”

Aaron laughed; hoped Simon knew how lucky he was to have a dad like Liam. Somehow Aaron would bet he did.

“Well you can’t have it all. Let me know what you find out yeah?”

“Yeah, okay.”

With that Aaron ended the call.

He found it weirdly sweet that Liam wanted Aaron to date his son, not that he’d ever admit it to the miserable bastard. He wasn’t someone he would ever consider “boyfriend material.” He’d never strayed in a relationship, never been in one long enough to make that mistake. He’d always been a bit of a loner, happy to do his own thing. Sure he had his friends and his family but most men he dated wanted to be entertained. They didn’t want to sit beside him on the couch while he poured over case files. They didn’t want a simple pint at a pub and casual conversation.

The last guy he dated, Alex, had been a doctor with even odder hours than Aaron. The sex had been okay but they’d lasted four months because it took them that long to actually get to know each other. When Aaron had finally ended it Alex had been a bit bitter, telling Aaron his “mysterious persona” wasn’t going to work forever.

Aaron wasn’t entirely sure what Alex had meant by that, but it had haunted him a little. 5 months later and Aaron was still trying to put his finger on it. He wasn’t trying to be anything, he was just himself. Maybe people found him mysterious because they assumed there was more underneath. Aaron wasn’t sure there was. Or maybe it wasn’t worth the effort to untangle himself inside for another person.

Maybe that was his problem. Relationships took work, and he hadn’t met anyone who made figuring it out worth it. Maybe there never would be. And maybe this was all a mental conversation for another day.

Aaron grabbed his legal pad and headed for his door. His mind was whirling, feeling like he was on the edge of something big. I mean of course he was, this was a serial case. So much unknown. He needed coffee and an apple danish. Something to settle his nerves, a sugar rush.

“Matty I’m going to need you to...Oh.”

His brain short circuited for a second. Tall, blond, gorgeous wasn’t the word. Fucking magnificent. Fitted maroon suit, like something out of the GQ magazines Aaron used to hide under his mattress as a teen. Light eyes, green maybe? Shoulders that were just the right size for Aaron’s hands to…

“Boss, this is DCI Robert Sugden.”

Matty’s unexpected presence knocked Aaron back to reality. He steeled his face to be impassive but somewhat friendly as he reached out his hand for a shake.

“Aaron Dingle.”

For a second Aaron thought his offered hand would be ignored, Sugden was still looking at him with an expression that looked a bit like bewilderment. He was probably expecting someone older; PI’s weren’t known for their youth.

“Sugden, pleasure.”

His hand was large, warm and surprisingly gentle when it finally slid against Aaron’s. They smiled briefly at each other and just sort of stood there. Matty coughed and held out the mug he was holding.

“Here’s your coffee, Sir.”

“Thank you. And please, Robert is fine.”

Matty looked between the men and raised his eyebrows at Aaron.

“So I brought everything as requested. I’m not sure where you want me.”

Matty coughed again at the officer’s words, with a smirk on his face. Aaron looked at him sharply and then offered Sugden a tight smile.

“Why don’t you head into my office. I just need to go over something with Matty here and then we can get the ball rolling.”

That gifted him a nod and he followed Robert to the door.

“Make yourself comfortable, wherever.”

He clicked the door shut and relaxed his shoulders.

“What the fuck was that?”

At least Matty was wise enough to whisper.

“What was what?”

“Oh I don’t know, maybe the eye fucking I just walked in on?”

“Matty....”

“Boss, it was obvious. You two are feeling each other.”

“Stop. I was just surprised to see him standing there. Now I am not whispering with you like some goddamn high school girl.”

Matty clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.

Aaron glared and raised his voice.

“Get that stuff loaded up so we can review it in my office. Can you manage that?”

“How about a please?”

“How about a pay cheque with my signature on it?”

He turned back to the door and prepared himself for whatever was waiting on the other side.

**********

Robert took the couple moments of reprieve to absorb his surroundings. Once again he was surprised by what he saw. The office was larger than the waiting area. A desk with its back to three large picture frame windows that held a gorgeous view. A well loved but comfortable and wide brown leather sofa to his right. The throw pillows and blanket made him wonder if Dingle took the occasional nap there. A large coffee table littered with magazines and scribbled pieces of paper, some remotes and gaming controllers. The opposite side had a table with two comfortable looking plush chairs pushed underneath. On the wall above was a large screen tv, flanked by bookshelves lined with random nick nacks and pictures. Some electronics. A nice speaker system. It was an bachelor pad really.

He wandered around quickly, tried to shake off the bizarre tightness in his chest. Okay, so he was attracted to Aaron Dingle. No big deal. He’d worked alongside people he was attracted to before. The door clicked, he watched Aaron come in and turn to shut the door behind him. God, how was the back of him as sexy as the front?

“Sorry about that, I wasn’t expecting you so early.”

Robert shrugged. He was being an idiot. He needed to get his head straight.

“Look Sugden, I get it.”

Robert looked up in surprise, his stomach fluttered at the steely gaze Aaron was hitting him with.

“I’m an outsider being brought in on this. I get that you don’t want to be here. But I just want to help. Seriously. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to. I don’t have any of the facts yet but I won’t waste your time, that much I can promise.”

Robert relaxed, clearly Aaron hadn’t realized where his head had been. So he locked it down, ignored the pull of that face. What it made him want.

“Mr Dingle….”

“Aaron.”

“Aaron.”

God, he liked how that sounded.

“Aaron, I’m not used to working with a partner, not really. But this is my job and I want to catch this bastard more than I want world peace. If you can help me do that then I am game.”

Aaron shoved his hands in his back pockets, rocked slightly on his feet.

“Deal.”

A knock on the door brought Matty inside. Everything was ready to go. Aaron turned on the TV, situated himself on the couch with a pad and pen in hand. Matty handed Robert a tablet, and cocked his head. Robert smiled at him, he knew this technology. Thankfully his division had the best, because they dealt with the worst.

“Are you okay if Matty stays, just to get the basics of what we’re dealing with?”

Another set of eyes couldn’t hurt but still.

“I have to warn you both, what you’re about to see is very graphic and disturbing.”

Aaron and Matty locked eyes. Aaron looked at Robert and gave him a quick nod of affirmation. No going back now.

**********

Aaron watched Robert lean against his desk, palm the tablet in his hands before he swiped his finger. A picture of a middle aged man appeared on the TV screen. Aaron could see Robert tensing out of the corner of his eye, felt a tug towards him. He wanted to ease his burden, but that’s why Robert was here. Aaron needed to focus if he was going to be of any use.

“Norton Emerson, 42 years old, accountant for a medium sized firm in town. Happily married for over 10 years to Samantha Emerson, a shift nurse at their local hospital. Sons aged 8 and 6 at the time of his death. Wife stated on April 16, 2017 she went to sleep at 8:00 pm as she had an early shift the next morning. Both sons were with their maternal grandparents for the night. Samantha said her husband was watching the news in their living room when she went upstairs. When she woke up she discovered his side of the bed had not been slept in and she couldn’t find him anywhere.”

The picture changed to that of a average car garage, two small drops of blood visible on the cement floor.

“She found the signs of a struggle in their garage and called police immediately. A few hours later his body was discovered by a couple walking their dog at a nearby pond.”

Robert turned his head to look at Aaron then, his eyes flickered to Matty briefly. Everything seemed to still for a second. 

“It’s okay, we can handle it.”

Aaron hoped his words put Robert at ease but the other man just closed his eyes briefly before swiping his finger.

Norton Emerson’s face filled the screen, only now it was ghostly white. Blackened flesh and sunken skin where his eyes should be. Aaron’s stomach rolled but he didn’t look away. Matty, however, cast his gaze at the floor.

“Cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation due to strangulation. Some type of thick rope or cloth was used. Eyes were removed by intense heat, probably a blow torch, the kind used by welders.”

The picture changed again, a word crudely cut into skin. 

“The eyes were done post mortem, as well as a message carved into the victim’s stomach. A sharp blade was used, type yet to be determined. Time of death was put between 10:00 pm and 11:30 pm, a mere 2 hours after his wife had said goodnight.”

The screen changed again to the dump site, which would be picturesque if not for the tarp covered area clearly concealing a body.

“He had been thoroughly doused with bleach, making it impossible for us to find any usable prints, fibres or DNA. Upon investigation we discovered he had no known enemies, didn’t owe anyone money and we cleared all his family, as well as his wife, from possible suspicion.”

Robert reached for his coffee, took a long sip. The tension was thick in the air. With three victims this was just the beginning.

“This case went cold fast. No leads, no suspects. That is until the body of Shelby Hills was discovered on the morning of October 7, 2017 dumped under a pier on the west side.”

A young woman in heavy makeup and pin up curls graced the screen now.

“28 years old, independent tattoo artist who worked out of a shop downtown. Her coworkers saw her leave at around 6:00 pm on October 6. Shelby had told them she was heading home. Hills was in a long term 4 year partnership with Alice Faires. Alice was in France at the time so never reported Shelby missing.”

Another white face, more shadows where the eyes should be. Quickly the word CHOOSE was seen again, carved in with what appeared to be more precision than before.

“Same manner of death, same body mutilation post mortem. Again, no known enemies, no reason why anyone would want her dead. If there is a connection with our previous victim Emerson it has yet to be discovered.”

Images just went by slowly. Sand and ocean, areas roped off by police tape. Dark hair sticking out from underneath a white tarp.

“And now our last victim, Matthew James Cook, known as MJ to his friends and family. 18 years old, preparing to take a GAP year overseas. His family is pretty well to do and he’d never been in any type of trouble before. Legal or otherwise. No known sexual partners or issues with anyone that we could find.”

Aaron thought he was a good looking kid, clean cut but there was mischief in his eyes. He could be anyone really, nothing that special about him. Except there had been something that had caught the killer’s attention. Until they could solve that riddle they’d never find who they were looking for.

“He was out at a friend’s local when he left around 9:00 pm in an Uber to head home. His body was found on the docks just east of here at 2:17 am on February 15 of this year. We believe the body dump happened very close to 1:00 am, which was the last time a worker was in that area. Time of death was set around 11:00 pm to 12:30 am. The Uber driver dropped him off at his family home and picked up another passenger 10 minutes later in the same area. The driver did not watch MJ enter his house and his parents claim he never made it inside.”

The TV went dark, Robert placed the tablet down on the desk. His eyes drilled into Aaron’s.

“Three victims of various social class, gender and backgrounds. All killed in the same manner with the same body mutilations. All victims were doused with bleach, destroying any possible trace evidence. Each victim dumped at the edge of various bodies of water.”

Aaron took a deep breath and realized his hands were shaking. He dropped his pad and pen on the table, grabbed his knees tightly to steady them.

“So Dingle, any questions?”

**********

It was hours later and they were huddled together at the table as they reviewed case notes, more photographs, timelines. Robert had to admire the way Aaron’s brain worked; he clearly had a mind for this. All his questions were intelligent but at this point nothing Robert hadn’t heard before.

Matty had cleared out pretty quickly after Robert’s little presentation. He occasionally updated the cloud with screen captures of the victim’s social media, photographs and status updates that he thought for sure Aaron would find relevant. For what reason Robert didn’t know, he’d seen it all before. Memorized it really. He could tell you Emerson only posted pictures of his kids, Shelby of her recent tattoo work and MJ of every aspect of his life from what he ate to what Uber he was in. 

They were all so different, their three victims. But Robert knew there was something he wasn’t seeing, there just had to be.

He had to admit he was impressed with how professional Aaron was being. Occasionally Aaron would sigh and a shiver would run down Robert’s back. At one point Aaron got up to pace the room, stretching as he walked in circles. The bunching of muscle was clear under his white Henley and Robert had to remove his suit jacket, roll up his sleeves. It was too warm, he felt stifled.

Now he was leaning his elbow on the table, palm under his chin as he watched Aaron bite on his lower lip. They were reviewing MJ’s timeline, and something about it was clearly bothering Aaron.

“So the driver never saw him go into the house and his parents were certain that they never heard him enter.”

Robert nodded his head in confirmation.

“What about his cell phone activity around that time?”

“Nothing. The tracker on his phone puts him in the vicinity of his home for about 10 minutes until it’s either switched off or destroyed. It was never recovered.”

“What about the other victim’s phones?”

“Emerson’s was still charging in his kitchen, Shelby’s was also never found.”

Aaron hummed, deep in thought and rubbed the back of his neck. Robert was clearly learning Aaron’s ticks, his nervous gestures, those little things people didn’t even realize they did until someone pointed them out. He pursed his lips when he was deep in thought. He ran his hands through his hair when something wasn’t settling in his mind. He pulled his sleeves over his hands when he had an idea but was uncertain about sharing it. He rubbed his neck when he was frustrated, when Robert didn’t give him the answers he wanted.

It was Robert’s job to be able to read people, to see their tells. Aaron’s fascinated him.

“Astrological signs?”

“Gemini, Leo and Capricorn.”

“Commute transportation?”

“Car, Metro or Uber, never did they intersect that we can see.”

“Favourite colours?”

“Blue, purple and red.”

Aaron laughed at that, clearly he’d been joking but the fact was Robert knew everything about their victims lives. Everything.

“Football teams?”

“2 Leeds fans and 1 United.”

Aaron made a face that had Robert chuckling.

“I blame it on Beckham really, he turned the heads of a few misguided youth.”

Robert enjoyed the half smile Aaron shot his way, liked the twinkle in Aaron’s eyes. The soft lines of his face. He wondered if the scruff on his cheeks would feel as thrilling against his fingers as Robert imagined it would.

A sharp knock on the door broke their eye contact as Matty shuffled in.

“Hey Boss, I’m going to head out now.”

Robert looked at his watch to see it was well past 6:00 pm. They’d been going over this stuff for hours, they’d not even broken for lunch. Robert had survived the day on coffee that Matty kept supplied at constant intervals and some pastries slid in front of them a few hours before.

“Sure thing Matty, see you tomorrow.”

“Do you want me to order you some tea?”

Robert watched Aaron shake his head and smile. It must be nice to have someone looking out for you, even if they were paid to do so.

“Night guys.”

And with that it was just the two of them in the contrasting soft glow of lamp light and the harsh glare of the TV.

**********

It was bizarrely comfortable, looking over pictures of crime scenes and discussing timelines, being able to joke through the darkest part of it all. He was worried at first that Sugden would find him insensitive, or worse, unprofessional. But with every outlandish question Aaron would throw out he watched Robert relax bit by bit. Aaron found it almost fun. How messed up did that make him?

But it had been a long enough day and Robert had a life to get back to, like most people. Most people that weren’t Aaron.

“Alright, Sugden, why don’t we call it a night? Because there is a pint and some dinner down the street calling my name.”

Robert’s smile instantly vanished and Aaron felt almost guilty. That didn’t feel like the right word yet it was the only one that came to mind. 

“Or you could join me if you want? It’s just the pub down a ways my buddy Pete owns. Nothing fancy but we can walk there and the food is pretty good.”

“Yeah, sounds nice.”

Aaron excused himself and raced upstairs to change his shirt and grab a warmer jacket. He didn’t need to wear one of his nicer black jumpers but he’d felt underdressed since Robert had walked in that morning. All maroon on maroon, tall glass of water, that Aaron wanted to down in one gulp. It didn’t help when Robert had discarded his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, strong forearms on display. Aaron had pictures of dead bodies in front of him but he was fascinated by the blond hair and the few freckles that danced on Robert’s skin.

He needed to get laid if he was this hard up, longing for straight men went out the door when he came out at 18. He wasn’t going back there. Ever.

Robert met him on the landing and they walked in comfortable silence the two blocks to Pete’s pub, Homestead. It was a smaller place, tucked in on the street with its glowing lights and painted sign. It was a blink and you miss it kind of place. Aaron liked that about it, you didn’t know it was there unless you knew it was there.

Still it was usually busy enough, good food that kept everyone coming back for more. Pete had taken over the place when his father had died a few years back. Turned it into something a bit more modern without being pretentious. You could get a pint, a damn good meal and still walk out with money in your pocket.

Robert smiled at him when they sauntered in, clearly surprised by the interior and the jovial mood of the people inside. Aaron pointed to his favourite booth in the back, thankfully empty.

“First rounds on me, what’ll you have?”

“Whatever you’re having is fine.”

“Shirley Temple it is then.”

That got him a full blown laugh and Aaron watched any remaining tension float out of Robert’s shoulders. He was a gorgeous man to be sure, but when he laughed Robert was mesmerizing. In self preservation Aaron headed to the bar and smiled at Pete who was pulling a pint.

“Dingle, how goes it?”

“Good mate, two pints please.”

“You got it.”

He made idle chit chat, asking Pete to send the waitress Tracy round in a few so they could order some food. Drinks in hand he weaved his way to the back, sending a wink to his cousin Belle seated with some friends in the corner. There was always a Dingle around this place somewhere.

When Aaron slid into the booth he was met with a soft smirk and twinkling eyes.

“What? No fancy umbrellas?”

“Alas no, but if you want I can ask Pete to rim the next one with some pink sugar for ya.”

That got him a grin and Aaron was thankful for the glass in front of him, he needed something to do with his hands.

“Good evening gentleman.”

Tracy was in good form that evening, bright blonde hair and even brighter red lipstick. She was ogling Sugden like he was the special of the day. Aaron couldn’t blame her really.

“Hey Tracy, this is Robert.”

She offered her hand, pink nails flashing.

“Nice to meet you, Tracy.”

“Likewise, been a while since Aaron brought a date round here. You must be special.”

Aaron almost choked on his drink when Robert’s eyes darted in his direction. Fucking Tracy and her mouth. 

“Well I highly doubt Aaron could do better.”

Tracy giggled at Robert’s words.

“I know Aaron’s order like the back of my hand, but what can I get you, Handsome?”

“The same is fine.”

“Alright I’ll be back, you boys have fun.”

With Tracy gone they sat in silence, Robert’s eyes never leaving Aaron’s face as he took another sip of his beer. Well this conversation was happening it seemed.

“Sorry about that, she has a bit of a gob on her.”

“What, you don’t think I’m handsome?”

Aaron didn’t know what to say to that.

“Look let's just lay it out, Sugden, because if it’s going to be an issue then we best face that now. I know how some cops can be. I’m gay. End of story.”

Aaron held his breath. He hated this part of his life. That split second after someone found out about his sexuality, like somehow it changed him in their eyes. It wasn’t fair, it never had been, his failed career in the force had shown him that.

Robert’s eyes got soft for a second.

“End of story then.”

Robert raised his pint and clinked it with the one still braced in Aaron’s hands. So that was that. Yet Aaron couldn’t shake the feeling it wasn’t the end of it. Not at all.


	3. Chapter 3

She was home now, he could hear her muffled laughter through the thin walls. His wife was snoring softly beside him. How could she sleep? How could she pretend everything was okay? They had made an abomination.

He felt the rage building up, twisted the sheets he had clutched in his fingers. His beautiful baby. He’d tainted her, just like his mother always said he would.

Bad blood.

Dirty. 

Filthy. 

Vile.

Choose, Son. But don’t choose wrong.

He wouldn’t sleep tonight, not as his blood boiled and his neck coated in sweat.

And still her laughter danced through the air.

His beautiful baby girl.

**********

Robert had enjoyed the rest of his evening with Aaron, brief though it may have been. After Tracy’s little bombshell, Robert had felt his stomach flip, then he’d seen the look of dread on Aaron’s face. He tried to play it off, because it didn’t matter. Well it did, but not in the way Dingle clearly thought. He’d had his back up, ready to fight Robert, and possibly even the world, if necessary. But what could he do? They hadn’t known each other a day even. What was Robert supposed to say?

“I’m bisexual, let’s go make out in the bogs.”

He’d thought it. Even imagined it. His hands in that hair. Aaron’s mouth on his. Imagined that muscle pressed into him, dipping his head down just the right amount to rub his cheek against that scruff. He’d allowed himself the brief fantasy; he was a red blooded male after all. 

He’d squashed it the moment he’d seen Aaron’s stricken face. When his joke didn’t ease the tension, he’d hoped his peace offering of dropping the subject entirely would calm things down. 

Because he wanted this to work now. He needed Aaron’s help to end this. As for anything beyond that he’d cross that bridge if they ever got to it.

Thankfully their food came quickly and they ate their burgers and chips in tense silence. Robert tried to hold back his disappointment when Aaron declined the offer of another pint. He made some excuse about an early morning run, though Aaron looked fit enough for it to be believable.

He had waved Robert off when he’d reached for his wallet.

“Don’t be daft, I have a monthly tab.”

Robert wanted to argue but he knew it wouldn’t get him anywhere. The next meal would be on him and he’d make sure there was another one. Somehow.

They walked out of the pub, stood under the awning as the spring mist floated through the air. It was dusk now, more purple than pink, the moon coming out for its shift.

“We should exchange numbers.”

Aaron widened his eyes in surprise, until it dawned on him the reason why. Work, the case, death. They did the awkward programming of information into their phones. When Aaron cocked his head and strolled back towards his office, Robert followed. The silence wasn’t as comfortable as hours before. Secrets and breaking of bread had shifted something. It remained to be seen if anything good would come of it.

“So tomorrow I thought I’d spend the day checking out the dump sites. Get a better idea of access points, overall locations.”

“I should go with you, two heads and all that.”

“It’s Saturday.”

Robert stopped in front of this service sedan and leaned his back against it .

“Your point? This is me.”

“Right. Well I’ll pick you up because I am not spending all day in that monstrosity.”

“What do you have against stock interiors and police radios?”

“Nothing, mate, I just want to be able to control the music. I have a feeling your taste is shite. Text me your address. 9:00 am too early for you?”

“Not if you bring coffee, Dingle.”

“Don’t push your luck, Sugden.”

The crisis had passed. Aaron grinned at him before he turned to walk the rest of the way to his office. Robert got in his car, started it, pretended it needed to warm up before he drove away. 

But Robert knew it was so he could watch Aaron until he was out of sight. He wondered if Aaron knew it too.

**********

A solid run and a long shower later Aaron felt like his head was back on straight. Last night had been awkward after Tracy had run her mouth but they’d ended on tentative terms. Fact was Aaron knew he was the one that made it an issue. Sugden didn’t seem to care either way, and that should be what Aaron wanted. Even if they didn’t have to work together it wouldn’t ever be more than a one sided attraction. 

If by some miracle Robert felt the spark between them and swung that way, they had to work together. It should always come back to the case. There was a reason Aaron didn’t do relationships. They took your focus away from what was important. Nothing mattered except solving this and proving himself, once and for all.

Doug has raised his eyebrows when Aaron asked for double his order. He was used to getting some sandwiches and snacks to last him for a day when he was “in the field.” He balanced the bag of food and the tray holding their coffees. He didn’t know what Robert liked so hopefully an Americano would do him. Fuck it, he’d drink it and say thank you.

Robert only lived a 10 minute drive away, a suburban condo complex right on the edge of the main city center. Aaron had thought about getting a flat there before he found his current building and knew it was where he was supposed to be. Soulless beige walls just weren’t for him. Sure he didn’t surround himself with colour, in his choice of wardrobe or otherwise, but he liked the history of his building. Liked that it had been a post office 100 years ago. He may have modernized a few things but the bones and the heart of it Aaron kept. Some things just didn’t need changing.

He pulled in front of the building with 10 minutes to spare but Robert was standing waiting for him. He’d dressed casual, jeans and a button down shirt under an open leather jacket. His hair was still perfectly coiffed, the wind rustling it slightly, making it seem more golden somehow. 

Robert shot him a smile as he climbed into Aaron’s car and he took the take away cup in hand.

“Americano do you?”

“Perfect, Dingle. Thanks.”

Aaron waited for him to buckle up before pulling around. He tried not to notice how close they were. How he could move his arm just an inch and they would brush against each other. That he could reach out his hand and place it on Robert’s thigh, curl his fingers in.

“So what’s the plan?”

Right Dingle, focus.

“Figured we’d start with Emerson’s site, the docks and then finally the pier. Makes sense traffic wise.”

Robert just hummed in agreement.

“What are you hoping to find?”

“Same thing as you, Sugden. Answers.”

They drove in silence for a while. The sun was barely peeking through the clouds. Overcast and a bit chilly, spring holding on tight before it finally gave into summer. Robert sipped his coffee, but Aaron could feel his eyes on him. Could feel them over every inch, it made him feel flushed.

“Okay, I’ll admit it. This is a nice car.”

Aaron smirked. He’d spent good money on this. It wasn’t flashy but it had all the bells and whistles. Aaron wasn’t above heated seats and leather interior.

“I know.”

Aaron couldn’t help but smile as Robert barked out a laugh beside him.

**********

Robert knew what Aaron was trying to see; he’d spent hours himself visiting the dump sites. They were all a little ways off the beaten track. They were all bodies of water. They all didn’t provide answers. Aaron didn’t say much at the pond where Emerson had been found; he just knelt right beside where the body had been positioned. Stared out into the water. At the docks he timed two different access points, noting the drop would have taken less than 2 minutes if done correctly. Now they stood under the small pier, far back enough that the water didn’t lap at their feet.

They didn’t talk much on the drive. Honestly they’d barely said more then 20 sentences to each other all morning. Robert just watched Aaron, could see wheels turning in his mind. He wanted to ask Aaron what he was thinking, but he knew he’d share in his time, when he had something worth saying.

It was a beautiful spot on a day like today. The sun shining, birds swooping over the water, the waves crashing softly. It was the kind of place someone could come to think, be alone with their thoughts.

“Why here?”

Robert turned away from the water to see Aaron watching him. He was still wearing his black puffy jacket but it was unzipped, not necessary anymore now that the sun was giving the day warmth. His hands were shoved in his pockets and his face was lined in concentration.

“Why any of them?”

Aaron scoffed at that.

“The other two sites were easy dump jobs. Pull up the car, drop the body. He didn’t even position them a particular way. But here, he would have had to carry her body down across the sand. Surely it would have been deserted, but still more effort than either other time. Why her and why here?”

If Robert had the answers to that he’d be feeling a lot better than he did right now.

“Well she was the lightest of the three. She would have been the easiest to carry. And he must have because we didn’t find any drag marks. That or he cleared them in the sand before he left.”

Aaron nodded his agreement and turned back towards the car. Evaluation over for the day apparently. Aaron jogged ahead and pulled out a bag from the back seat before Robert made it to the passenger door.

“Hungry, Sugden?”

“Famished, Dingle.”

They walked over to a cement picnic table just off the sand. There were few people about. Some kids with spades and buckets but with wool hats on their heads. Just a few more weeks and this place would be a flurry of activity on a Saturday. For now it was just a few brave souls and the two of them.

They sat across from each other, Robert happily taking the warm bottle of water and thickly wrapped sandwich Aaron gave him.

“You didn’t make this did you?”

Aaron arched his eyebrow.

“Don’t cook, mate. It’s safe.”

It looked okay, pretty fancy actually and tasted even better than he expected. They chewed in silence. Robert wondered if Aaron was like this with everyone or if it was just him. He didn’t say much, anything really. He played everything close to the chest. Robert could respect that, he was the same. But Robert at least let people think they were close, think they had an in. Aaron clearly didn’t abide such pleasantries.

How could one man be so closed off and yet constantly bursting with life? Aaron seemed like a caged animal sometimes, just waiting for a moment to pounce. It thrilled Robert, but it also confused him. Aaron didn’t share much of anything, not even his thoughts. Which was a shame because Robert liked to hear what Aaron had to say. Plus Robert enjoyed the sound of Aaron’s voice and he wanted to hear more of it. So he took a chance when Aaron finished his final bite and shoved his garbage back into the plastic bag.

“So tell me about the Jacobson case, how did you crack it?”

Aaron shrugged, took a long sip from his water bottle. Robert watched his throat work with probably too much interest. Aaron wiped his mouth with his sleeve before sighing.

“What do you know?”

“The same as most cops but nothing new.”

Because Robert did know the Jacobson case, Kirsten Jacobson to be more precise. 17 years old, left her school after 5:00pm on October 30, 2002. She never arrived home. Eventually a search turned up her school bag, her broken watch and some hair fibers on a footpath not far from the school’s football field. The only real lead had been the teacher, a Steven Hartford, but he had CCTV to back up his alibi that he’d left the school briefly for some food but returned not long after.

Kirsten, however, was never seen or heard from again.

That was until six weeks ago when Steven Hartford had been arrested, confessed and Kirsten Jacobson’s body recovered from a field 15 kilometers out of town. Buried deep enough no one would have ever found her if Hartford hadn’t given up where he’d left her.

“Did you lean on Hartford? He had a firm alibi from what I can remember.”

Aaron’s eyes lit up at that, he leaned his arms forward on the cement table.

“Yeah that’s the thing. Kirsten was seen leaving school on CCTV at 5:17 pm after supposedly staying late to work on a project. Hartford can be seen leaving after her not two minutes later. Yet at 6:20 pm he’s on camera going back into the school, his excuse being that he needed to grade papers. Her family doesn’t report her missing until well after 9:00 pm and a force search doesn’t start until after 11:00 pm. That's when they found her backpack and her broken watch, the face cracked and the time stopped at 6:32 pm. The time of her abduction right?”

Robert just nodded his head, he didn’t want to stop the roll Dingle was on, he’d never heard him talk so much. His face was animated, eyes dancing because he had the answer to the puzzle no one else had been able to solve.

“At the time of her assault and kidnapping Hartford was safely tucked into the school. He didn’t leave until after 8:00 pm, Kirsten hadn’t even been reported missing yet. He claims he went home and he lived alone at the time so no one could corroborate his story. But there was something shifty about him, everyone knew that, they just couldn’t put their finger on it.”

Robert leaned back, grinned.

“So you did? Found a way to get him to fit into the timeline?”

Aaron smiled back.

“No, I changed the timeline.”

**********

Aaron shouldn’t have taken such joy from the surprise on Sugden’s face, this was murder afterall. But this had been one of the most important moments of Aaron’s life. The first time he’d done something that mattered and damn if he wasn’t proud of that. 

“What do you mean you changed the timeline?”

“So everything was based off the watch and the time it stopped. This was over 15 years ago, before we had cell phones and kids actually used the damn things. It was a nice one too, a gift from her parents a few months earlier for her 17th birthday. She never took it off.”

Aaron could see Robert was a little lost.

“As luck would have it on that same day she disappeared her classmate Matthew Rhys was showing off his new digital camera, a big deal in those days. He was snapping pictures of everyone, Kirsten included, throughout the day. Those photos are all in the evidence files.”

“And?”

“So I’m looking through the photos, all of them, not just the ones Kirsten is in. He took around 10 pictures during their hour long art class. In a photo of some kids you can clearly see the school clock on the wall, a few pictures later you can see Kirsten’s watch.”

Robert was still just looking at him, that was until Aaron saw the light go on in his eyes.

“The times were different?”

“Yes. By one hour exactly. October 27, three days earlier, had been the Daylight Savings Time. Kirsten hadn’t adjusted her watch yet, which meant the timeline was off by that hour. Her watched stopped at 5:32 pm, not 6:32 pm. That meant that Hartford left the school after Kirsten, had time to attack her, hide her alive or dead, before returning to the school. Her watch being wrong threw everything out of order, we were just able to put it to rights again.”

“Christ, Dingle.”

“It was a lucky catch and a possibility but I pounced on it. It just so happens that the last 15 years of guilt had gotten to Hartford. He confessed everything when DCI MacInnes and I showed up to interview him again. Never lawyered up. He shared everything, the how, the why and led police to her body. His first hearing is in 2 weeks. I’m told he’ll plead guilty.”

Aaron heard Robert’s low whistle.

“Did he ever say why?”

“They were having a sexual relationship. Bad enough him being 14 years her senior and her teacher but she told him she was pregnant. Told him she was going to blow the whole thing, tell not only her parents but his fiancée. He says he panicked. Didn’t mean to kill her. Didn’t expect to get away with it as long as he did. He thought for sure he’d get found out eventually. The watch was an unexpected blessing.”

“Dingle, that’s some damn good work. Why the hell did you ever leave the force?”

Aaron bristled instantly and his good mood deflated. Robert clearly wasn’t an idiot, and thankfully pretended like he never asked the question.

“Seriously though, no wonder they’re calling you the Wonder PI.”

Fuck, Aaron hated that nickname, wasn’t sure who started it but the press had gotten hold and not let go. He was forever grateful that his police employment file was locked down tight. The press only had what Aaron was willing to tell them, and that was a whole lot of nothing.

“I spent a year pouring over that case. I stared at the same things over and over again. I had the time, no one was shoving a new caseload in my direction. It was just luck, Sugden.”

Robert cocked his head to the side, his gaze made Aaron uncomfortable, like he could see straight through him. Like Aaron was an enigma he wanted to understand. Problem was once Robert saw all of him he’d realize it wasn’t worth his time, most people did in the end.

“Well let’s hope lightning strikes twice yeah?”

Aaron couldn’t help but smile up at Robert then, because like it or not they were in this, together.

*********

Aaron had expected to drop Robert off back to his flat and then head home to look over some more evidence. Seeing the dump sites had caused something to nag in the back of his head, he just couldn’t figure out what it was. Something about the pier dump site was off, something didn’t sit right with him. Was it because it was the only female victim? Is that why he took more care? Placed her under the pier to keep her safe from the elements? On the soft sand instead of the mud of the pond or the cement of the docks? Maybe it was nothing. Or maybe it was everything.

He almost missed the turnoff to Robert’s place he was so in his head. Weirdly being around Robert was comfortable to the point he forgot he was there. But when he remembered it caused his stomach to flutter and his hands to itch. Like he needed any of that right now.

He stopped in the same spot he’d picked Robert up, expecting the man to jump out and get on with his weekend. 

“So what’s the plan?”

So much for a quick goodbye and a settled stomach.

“Just going to head back to the office and go over everything again. Something isn’t sitting right with the sites for me.”

“If you want I can join you in a bit, maybe bring dinner. You’ve bested me 2 meals to nil at this point.”

Aaron wanted to say no. He also wanted to reach forward and run his thumb over Robert’s bottom lip. Both of those options weren’t practical, so he just nodded instead.

“Yeah alright, 6:00ish do yah?”

“Deal. Thoughts on Thai?”

“The spicier the better.”

“I knew I liked you, Dingle.”

Just a passing comment. It didn’t mean anything. But it sure felt like something when he caught Robert’s gaze. Maybe it was the camaraderie of partnership that Aaron wasn’t used to. So why did it feel like so much more?

Robert coughed and folded his tall frame out of the car. Aaron didn’t look back as he drove away as quickly as he could.

********** 

Robert wanted to smack himself when he got out of Aaron's vehicle. He didn’t know how to interact with Dingle. It was comfortable one minute and than charged all to hell the next. It was a dance in a way, but oddly he was enjoying it.

The fact was he was damn impressed with Aaron’s handling of the Jacobson case. He had seen something everyone else had missed. And there lay the difficulty. Because Robert wanted to solve this but he didn’t want to be the one missing the obvious clue. Up until now he’d led himself to believe that there was no answer, that their killer was playing it tight to read. Robert didn’t want another victim’s blood on his hands. At this rate, there just might be and he didn’t know if he could live with that.

He ordered his usual from the small Thai place down the road from his house. If Dingle didn’t enjoy this than there was no hope for him. He was being buzzed into the office when he realized he should have got beer or something. They’d need it after these noodles.

The office was dark save for Aaron’s space. Just a few lamps. It was glowing and intimate. Aaron was hunched over his laptop when Robert walked in.

“Sorry, but I forgot drinks.”

“Beer do ya?”

Aaron rolled in his office chair over to a cupboard and pushed a panel. It revealed a bar fridge filled with beer, water and juice.

“I want to live here.”

He froze up for a second when he realized what he said but Aaron had clearly relaxed since earlier and just shot him a smile.

“I know.”

They ate once again in silence. Robert was looking over the autopsy reports, hopeful that it would calm the spike of lust that every slight moan Aaron made while eating brought up. He was enjoying his food and Robert was enjoying watching him eat it. When had he ever found that attractive before?

“Okay so here’s what I’m thinking.”

Robert shot his head up from the piece of paper he was reading.

“He treated the female victim different from the others. It’s small but it’s something. She was handled with more care, more respect. The two male victims he probably just rolled out of his car but her, he carried her. Placed her. The other two were on full display, but she was almost hidden under the pier. Still naked, still mutilated but treated more like a person.”

Robert rubbed his face.

“I mean technically yes you could see it that way. Maybe she was an accident, or more of collateral damage. There is clearly some type of rage in him he can’t control. Or maybe in his twisted way he just likes women more?”

“The question is what started it all? What was the stressor that broke him, what keeps him coming back?”

“If we knew that, Dingle, we’d have him in the palm of our hands.”

Aaron pursed his lips at him and reached for his tablet. Conversation over, at least for now. The next three hours went the same. Aaron pacing, stretching, looking at photos on his tablet. Sometimes Robert would ask his opinion. He usually got a grunt in response, but he always knew what Aaron meant.

It was close to midnight and Robert’s eyes felt like they were going to burn out of his head. God, insensitive thought there, Sugden. He was staring at the large TV screen, Aaron was looking through MJ’s Instagram account, pictures flickered past at random. Classic teenager who shared every aspect of his life. Tagging where he was, who he was with, he would have been easy pickings for someone wanting to do him harm. 

Aaron started going through the photo’s MJ was tagged in, selfies with friends, those meme things kids were always going on about. God he was just a child, what could he have ever done to deserve how he ended up? Was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Robert was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Aaron’s chair crash backwards.

“Sugden, look.”

He’d seen the picture before, MJ arm and arm with a young girl, at some sort of party.

“Yeah Dingle, I’m looking. What are you seeing.”

“His shirt, look at his shirt.”

It was some fancy block shirt, lines of pink, purple and blue. The girl beside him had a rainbow headband on. It was just a party.

Wait...the shirt...Jesus, the shirt.

“Sugden, what information did you have on his sexual history?”

“None, we couldn’t find any past partners. His parents stated he was straight.”

“Yeah, well I don’t think his parents knew shit.”

The shirt, it was a stylized version of the bisexual flag. The blocks of blue, pink and purple running consistently over and over down the front. The picture location wasn’t tagged but maybe he was at some type of Pride event. Fuck, how had Robert missed this? Of all things, this?!

“Sugden, if he was bisexual and Shelby was gay, could that be the connection?”

Robert grabbed the tablet from Aaron’s hands, who leaned over his shoulder as he started flicking through Shelby’s photos of her tattoo work. He stopped on one that was a cloister or blue, pink and purple flowers. The caption told Robert all he needed to know.

“Another bi product of my day.”

“Wait...that means….”

Aaron’s voice was shaking and Robert felt like he was going to be sick.

“We need to confirm it but if MJ was bisexual and Shelby was too….”

Oh God, Robert was going to faint. Aaron’s just kept talking, his voice sounded very far away. Black was edging around his eyes. He need to calm down.

“Any idea on Emerson?”

“I can’t believe this.”

“Sugden, are you alright?”

Robert flopped on the sofa, his head in his hands. 

“I can’t believe this, how the fuck did I miss this, Dingle?”

He felt Aaron sit beside him, felt the heat of his leg press into his own.

“Hey, hey, it's okay. We don’t know yet for sure. Until we talk to Emerson’s wife…”

Robert dropped his hands and met Aaron’s concerned eyes, he felt like such a failure.

“I’m bi, Dingle.”

“You what?”

“I’m bisexual. If anyone should have fucking seen this, it should have been me.”

The air was static for a second, all Robert could hear was white noise. Then he felt a warm hand on the back of his neck.

“Hey, that’s ridiculous. Don’t do that to yourself. We don’t even have confirmation that this is our connection. It’s just a theory. Being bisexual doesn’t make you all knowing, regardless of what you might think.”

Robert couldn’t help the slight upturn of his lips as he stared back into Aaron’s face. There was no judgement there, just sincere concern. 

“But I should have…”

“Stop. There is no way to make this connection before MJ. Even with him it was a needle in a haystack. We’re gonna get this guy Sugden, I swear to you. We’re gonna stop him.”

It helped, a little, that Dingle didn’t think he was a complete fuck up. He couldn’t help himself, his eyes flicked down to Aaron’s lips, they were pursed in concern. He felt fingers brush softly through the hair at the nape of his neck. He just wanted to fall into the comfort he knew Aaron would provide. A respite from the death and pain that surrounded them, a brief reminder there was life to fight for.

They both moved, Robert was sure of that much, the air crackled and he wanted, probably too much.

And because life was a fucking joke his cell phone pierced the silence and they jerked apart before they even came together.

He grabbed his phone off the table, took a deep breath when he saw the name on the call display. 

“Sugden.”

Aaron’s hand slid off his shoulder and he felt the loss deeply, even more so when Chrissie White’s voice chirped loud in his ear.

“We’ve got another body.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wantd to say a sincere thank you for all the lovely comments and kudos I've received on this work. I read them all and they mean the world.


	4. Chapter 4

Aaron woke up with a jolt, thrashing his legs and kicking papers off the coffee table where his feet had been resting. The sky was starting to lighten. His internal alarm must have kicked in; his body ready for him to start his run and his day.

The clock on the wall read 7:06 am, so he’d gotten about 4 hours if he was to assume correctly. The text he’d desperately waited for from Sugden didn’t arrive until just before 3:00 am. It had been short and to the point.

**R : It’s him. Female vic. Will update when I can.**

That had been it. Aaron had wanted to press for more, feeling helpless that there was nothing he could do. He grabbed for his tablet off the table, opening the browser to see if any news outlets had reports on the newest murder. It was eerily empty, other than one vehicle hijacking, it has been a relatively quiet Saturday night.

More than anything Aaron was worried about Robert, who had been all over the place before the call had come in. He’d been riding the adrenaline high of their discovery only to be pulled back down to earth by Robert’s admission. He’d wanted to comfort him, assure him that none of this twisted game was in anyway his fault.

He’d almost kissed him.

Aaron couldn’t honestly say what he’d been thinking. Maybe with Robert admitting his sexuality Aaron started to colour their moments in a different light. Saw what he wanted to see. Maybe he wanted to soothe the pain he’d seen in Robert’s eyes.

Or he could own up to the fact that he just wanted him and had from the very beginning. 

He was too worn out to run but too pent up to sleep. Aaron left the mess behind in the office, keeping his tablet in hand as he made his way upstairs to his flat. Maybe a cup of tea would calm him down.

He changed into some sweats, knowing he was going to be spending his day by his phone. Aaron had no illusions about that. He started typing up notes. They needed to question the victim’ families again. They needed to figure out if their new theory, their only theory, was something they could actually work off of.

Was their killer biphobic? And if so did that mean Emerson had been the trigger? He was the first, the obvious connection had to be there. But where?

The tea wasn’t helping and his head was too fuzzy to think straight. He needed some real sleep; obsession never got him anywhere. Until he heard from Robert, he was at a standstill. 

He crawled into bed, thankful for his blackout curtains and expensive mattress. His body needed sleep but his mind, his mind wouldn’t stop.

He reached for his phone again. The only way he could get some rest was to put Robert out of his mind. It knew he’d regret it later but Aaron never made the smart decisions did he?

He typed out the words, hit send before he could think too hard about it. 

**A: We’ll get through this. Together.**

He didn’t expect a reply but his phone beeped immediately. He read the words twice, three times, then fell asleep with the phone on his pillow.

*********

Tate was already on the scene when Robert arrived. He was standing with his arms crossed, waiting to give Robert every horrific detail so he was up to speed.

It was a creek bed, barely a trickle of water, but enough symbolism for their killer. The creek ran behind a row of suburban houses, two teenagers meeting for a tryst had found the body. The first officer on the scene said she’d been warm to the touch when he futilely checked for a pulse.

He was getting reckless. Their killer was unraveling.

The victim had track marks on her arms and sores on her face. Bad enough that they distracted from the blackness of her eye sockets. The purple bruising was stark against her thin, white shin. Identifying this one would be near impossible. The only hope was to canvas the prostitutes and druggies when they came out of hiding from the sun and we’re back on the streets at nightfall.

No doubt this victim had gone willingly with their predator, hoping to make enough money for her next fix. 

He barely said two words to Vanessa as she lifted the plastic and showed him what he’d seen so many times he was almost numb to it. The word carved in flesh was no longer a puzzle; it mocked Robert now.

“Has the team been notified?”

Tate looked surprised, clearly he had assumed this newest victim would be less work. Robert looked forward to proving him wrong.

“Sugden, she’s clearly a junkie. It’ll be weeks before we get a positive ID.”

“Call them all, I don’t care what time it is. We’ve got a new theory and I need all hands to work it. Task room. One hour. No exceptions.”

He walked away before he did something he would regret, like punch the annoyed expression off of Tate’s face.

Back at headquarters, he stopped for a coffee in the break room before heading straight to White’s office. He knew she’d be there waiting for him. She was sitting at her desk, chewing the end of a pen with her phone tucked in her shoulder. She signalled him to sit as she rolled her eyes.

“Yes, Sir, I am aware of that. Of course I understand the budget constraints we have but at this point...yes, thank you. I will have a full briefing ready for you then. Good night, Sir.”

She breathed deeply and smacked the receiver back onto its cradle.

“Fuck, Sugden, tell me you’ve got something.”

“Jane Doe, could be anywhere from 25 to 40. Time hasn’t been kind to her. She has all the signs of an addict: heroin if the track marks are to be believed. If I had to guess a prostitute our killer picked up. I’m going to reach out to patrol to see if any of the officers recognize her. However, given the eye mutilation it might be a tough sell.”

“He’s escalating, and that has to mean he’s going to get sloppy.”

He put his coffee cup down on her desk, leaned forward in his chair.

“Dingle and I have a theory, we just discovered it tonight. I’m going to need the team to work the angle, reinterview victim’s family and friends. But, if we can confirm our hunch, we just might get some answers.”

White smiled at him, the first one he’d seen cross her face since Christmas.

“Tell me everything.”

And he did. Filled her in on what Dingle had spotted, what they’d all missed until now. She was skeptical at first, but as he laid out the evidence she nodded her head more, gave him a confidant half-smile. 

“This just might be enough to convince them to give me more officers. Because somehow four murders doesn’t justify more man power. Thank God Dingle waived his consulting fee.”

Robert blinked at that, Aaron was doing this for free?

“Right, meet with the team. I want a full spec on of all of this, new victim details, tell me who is on what. Get Tate to organize the re-interviews. I want reports as soon as they are finished. I mean that Sugden; no one is sitting down on this, not anymore. If we can prove your theory, we’re on our way to figuring out who this is.”

He spent too long with the team, laid everything out. He gave assignments and stressed the need for everything to be reported back immediately. He spent even longer with Tate, going over everything they already knew, and what they hoped to find out. He got the autopsy report on Jane Doe, at least Vanessa seemed to be on her game. It read the same as all the others.

He gave White updates that were really just words; it would be a few hours before anything new would come their way. She sent him home, proclaimed he looked like death warmed over. She looked the same, he was just smart enough to not say it.

Tate had already left, useless twat, so Robert made sure Evidence forwarded everything logged on the Jane Doe case to Dingle’s office. Maybe something miraculous would happen while Robert got a few hours sleep.

He probably shouldn’t be driving but he got home on autopilot. He slumped on his couch, keys still in his hand and heard his phone chirp. 

When he read the text from Aaron his lips twitched. Remembered the near kiss, the near everything. He was too tired to worry that his response was too flirty or too unprofessional. He’d chastise himself later.

**R: I know.**

He leaned his head back and passed out.

**********

The next 36 hours were a bit of a chaotic clusterfuck if Aaron could put it that way. He hadn’t heard from Robert again until later that Sunday night, via text.

**R: New interview reports on their way. Emerson’s wife and MJ’s best friend both confirmed theory. Still no ID on Jane Doe.**

**A: If she was on game she might have offered “team up” services. Might have been enough justification for our guy.**

**R: Know a lot about street offerings do you Dingle?**

**A :Funny. Not exactly my bag but some men are into it**

**R :Good to know.**

It should have felt wrong that Robert was making Aaron smile during all of this, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty about it. Now it seemed to be the way they communicated: sarcastic words on a screen. Aaron knew Sugden was busy and didn’t want to push him for too much of his time or attention. It didn’t stop Aaron from jumping towards his phone every time it pinged he had a new message. 

**R: Shelby was bi, partner just confirmed. It’s a lock.**

**A: Should we high five or something?**

**R: Hard no.**

By Monday morning, both Aaron and Matty were up to their ears in new case evidence. With the newest victim still unidentified there was no information other than a million scene photos and outlined autopsy reports. Aaron took pity on Matty, who tried hard but couldn’t stop how pale his face became whenever a dead body appeared on the screen. He told him to dig as far back as he could into all social media on Emerson, his wife and any family members. If they knew Emerson than Aaron wanted to know about them.

He couldn’t get the feeling out of his gut that because the murders started with him that was their key to figuring out who their killer was. Either Emerson provoked his killer or he was just collateral damage, but he had been inside Emerson’s home. At the very least his garage. You didn’t open your doors to just anyone.

That was to say unless Emerson had already been in his garage at the time of the attack and the killer had let himself in. No one else had been attacked within their homes, as far as they knew. Why was Emerson different?

Moreover, how did their killer know? How was he aware that every one of their victims was bisexual? It was something even the police hadn’t sniffed out, and that was after going through every inch of their lives. How was their killer privy to information that even some of the victim’s own families didn’t know? 

It took Aaron back to when he’d come out to his mother and stepfather when he was 18. So frightened that he would be thrown out of the house, not because of anything they’d said or done, but because of his own self loathing. He’d just wanted to be normal. He’d wanted to be like everyone else.

He’d come a long way from then, but it had been a journey. Aaron wasn’t someone who’d walk in a Pride parade, but he wasn’t ashamed of who he was, not anymore. Parades just weren’t his thing. Still, he’d let his little sister draw a rainbow heart on his cheek during last year’s Pride as they celebrated in Homestead. Pete had done a great job of the party and Aaron had gone home covered in a fair amount of glitter. 

His Mom had worn a shirt that said “Proud Mum” in multicoloured sequins and his stepdad wore a pride flag as a cape. He’d rolled his eyes, but mostly to prevent himself from crying in gratitude. Aaron had faced his fair share of homophobia, but never at home, never from the people he loved. It was clear from this case not everyone was so lucky.

“Matty!”

The door to his office was open, he didn’t need to bother with the intercom. A slight bang and a thump and then Matty’s head appeared.

“Yeah, Boss?”

“Can you look into what type of LGBTQ support groups, meetings or events have gone on in the last year. I’m looking for a timeline, especially ones that might be more focused towards bisexuals. Maybe start there and then branch out?”

“Boss, that’s a lot.”

“That’s not a bad thing, but we need to find out where our killer is finding his victims. We have to start somewhere.”

Matty huffed out a sigh.

“Sorry Matty, is there something else I am paying you to do?”

Matty’s laugh was loud and bright, always taking Aaron’s bite with a smile.

“Well I was going to go get us lunch but…”

“Good idea, do that first.”

Matty gave him a cheeky wave as he headed out the door.

Aaron grabbed his phone.

**A: Going to have Matty look into LGBTQ events over the last year. The bastard’s finding his victims somehow.**

**R: Good idea. I’ll get someone here on it as well. Keep me posted. I hear it’s what partners do.**

**A: Careful now, it’s not like we’re mates or anything.**

**R: Well now you’re just breaking my heart.**

Aaron smiled at his phone for a while before shaking his head and diving back into the pictures on his computer screen.

**********

Robert was having the shittiest day in memory and the only bright spot was his text messages with Aaron. Maybe this was what having a partner was supposed to be like, someone to share the load and banter with to release the stress of a case. He’d never given his partners much of a chance before. To be fair he’d been stuck with Tate for over two years. That hadn’t been ideal. Honestly it had been downright frustrating.

But with Aaron, even in the few days they’d known each other, it had been easy. It should be surprising, they were wildly different. They complemented each other. It was nice, just effortless.

And maybe he’d allowed himself to imagine the phone hadn’t rang and interrupted their almost kiss. It was a bright moment in the bleakness of the last day and a half.

Once their theory had been confirmed, Robert couldn’t stop the sinking in his stomach. He wished he’d seen it sooner. Fuck, he hadn’t seen it at all. Their Jane Doe was dead and Robert couldn’t help but put that blame firmly on his own shoulders. Patrol didn’t recognize her and their usual informants weren’t saying anything. So what if she was a junkie or a prostitute. She didn’t deserve what happened to her; no one did.

But they had something to work with now, and he was waiting for a call from their profiler. It hadn’t always helped in the past, but hopefully they’d be able to piece something together that could give him a direction to go in.

His desk phone rang and dragged him out of his thoughts.

“Sugden.”

“DCI Sugden, this is DCI Mary James. I’ve just sent you over my profile but I wanted to go over the finer points with you.”

Robert clicked through to his email, pulled up the email.

“Okay James, what do you have for me?”

“I believe you’re looking for a male, possibly in his late 40s to late 50s. Middle class, normal in every sense of the world. You’d walk by him and not think twice. However the body mutilation leads me to believe he is not only conflicted by his actions, but that these victims are all surrogates.”

Robert ran his hand through his hair as he scanned the report in front of him.

“Surrogates?”

“Yes, his anger and rage isn’t directed to the victims themselves but what they represent. He either is reflecting on them his own issues, struggles with his own sexuality, or the sexuality of someone close to him. Possibly both.”

“So the eyes?”

“The windows to the soul, cliche but true. He doesn’t want them to be able to see him, he needs to remain hidden. This is a clear part of his psyche, a deep rooted issue that is anchored in his survival.”

“And the carvings in the stomach?”

“That message is as direct as the word itself. To him, what he perceives as the ambiguity of bisexuality is unsettling to him. He’s clearly biophobic, I imagine to do with his upbringing in some way.”

“Do you think there is anything to the way he treats his female victims over his male victims?”

“It’s in my report but in a way, yes. Jane Doe wasn’t treated as kindly as your other female victim, but I think he chose her for a reason. Jane Doe seems to be from the bottom of society, someone he could look down upon. Your previous female victim was the opposite of that, so in his mind, deserving of the respect. His disdain towards the men is very clear.”

“Anything else?”

“If you get anymore evidence please send it my way, but I’ve done the best I can with what I have. If you need clarification on anything call my cell, I’ve included it in the email. This one’s dangerous Sugden, he’s going to keep escalating until we stop him.”

Robert gave her his thanks and hung up his phone, rubbed his temples. This wasn’t information that gave him anything other than anxiety. He read the report quickly before he forwarded to Dingle’s office. He grabbed his cell off his desk.

**R: Profiler came through. Interesting read. Spoiler: he’s a psycho.**

**A: One sec…**

Robert flipped his cell over and over in his hands as he read through the report again. He got a weird pleasure out of knowing that his eyes were reading the same words that Aaron’s probably were. 

**A: I told you the female vic was different.**

**R: Is that really what you got out of that whole report? That you were right?**

**A: And that he’s psycho.**

**R: Glad you noticed that bit.**

**A: Hard to miss, Sugden.**

“A smile, Sugden? I didn’t know your face could do that.”

Robert rolled his eyes as he looked over at Tate, who stood smug with his hands in his pockets.

“And you’re actually working, Tate, it’s a day for miracles.”

“Hilarious. White wants to talk to you about the profile.”

Robert stood, stuffed his phone in his jacket pocket, turned towards Chrissie’s office. Tate’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. Robert narrowed his eyes at Tate’s hand until he removed it; they weren’t friends.

“Sugden, I’m late because I’m planning on spending tonight with two patrolman, question some people downtown. I want to see if we can ID our Jane Doe. Give it a real push.”

Robert, just tilted his head and widened his eyes.

“Look, I know I’ve been a bit of a dick lately. This case, it’s getting to me too okay. You’re not the only one who has trouble sleeping at night.”

Sugden wasn’t heartless, even though he wished he could be.

“I get it, Tate, and I hope we get lucky and you find something.”

“Yeah man, me too.”

They smiled at each other genuinely for the first time in a year, and parted ways. 

A day for miracles indeed.

By the time Robert got home it was past dinner but too early for sleep, regardless of how tired he was. Looking in his fridge, and finding nothing but weeks-old take out and one can of lager he knew he’d need to venture out again. He changed out of his suit, into something more casual and was heading back to his car. He debated going to an actual grocery store or just getting something quick at a chips place.

But then?

Before he thought too much about it he typed out his message to Dingle.

**R: Too late for a drink?**

He’d started his car when his phone lit up.

**A: Walking to Homestead now. You can buy me a pint or two.**

**R: See you in 10.**

He made good time, got a parking spot out front and was walking into the pub when he saw him. 

Aaron leaning against the bar, chatting away to the few people in the otherwise empty pub. He looked amazing, smirk on his face and Robert instantly felt like he could breathe. Because something about Dingle got to him, lit him up and calmed him down. He’d barely known the guy a few days and yet none of that mattered. The stress and bullshit just melted away. 

Fuck it.

He walked by Dingle, grabbed his arm and tilted his head. He saw the confusion in Aaron’s eyes but he was too wound up, to needy to worry about it as he led him through the back doors to the entrance of the bogs.

“Robert, what happ….”

Robert silenced him as he took Aaron’s face in his hands, took the chance and kissed him.

Robert wasn’t sure if the world stopped or if it was just spinning so fast he just couldn’t tell. Aaron’s hands pulled him in tighter, his lips parted and the moan that vibrated between them was sinful. Aaron’s mouth was warm heat, the taste of bitter beer stroked against his tongue. His fingers scraped against Aaron’s stubble, sent tingles down his arm. He braced the other against the wall as he slotted his leg between Aaron’s, rolled his hips.

It sparked something in the man against him. Aaron’s hands fisting in his hair, taking the lead, sucking Robert’s tongue in way that had his knees threatening to give out.

“Hey lads, get a room.”

The gruff voice was shocking enough to cause Robert to pull away, Aaron’s breath fast and warm against his face. Whoever had interrupted them was gone now, the door hinges squeaked as it swung back and forth.

They just looked at each other, Aaron’s eyes darker than Robert could ever imagine them being. His lips wet and red, his arousal lined up dangerously close with Robert’s own. If he could have him, right here, right now, nothing would stop him. Public indecency be damned.

Aaron leaned forward, pressed his mouth softly against Robert’s again, his hips pressed forward once more. Robert chased him as he pulled away again. Aaron’s rough whisper was like a punch to the stomach.

“Back to mine?”

Was that even a question? 

“Yeah.”

**********

She was nagging him again. Said he was spending too much time at work. Said they needed more time as a family.

If she knew, oh if she only knew.

But he hid it well, he’d learned that early hadn’t he? 

Never show them who you are, Son. They’ll burn you at the stake.

It wasn’t settling like before. He still felt the burn in his eyes. The fire in his belly.

He swirled the jar in his hand, watched his new prize dance.


	5. Chapter 5

Aaron was trying not to think, ignored the warning bells in his head that told him maybe this was a bad idea. Partners, that’s what they were. They were supposed to be working together, not stealing kisses in darkly lit corners. It didn’t stop him from pushing Robert away gently with his hands, letting them run slowly down that expanse of chest. He edged through the doors, hurried by his nearly full pint and snagged his jacket off the booth bench as he passed. He knew Robert was hot on his heels. Aaron could feel the heat of him still.

They walked side by side back to his building. Aaron’s hands fiddled with his keys to keep them occupied. He wanted to reach out and touch, wanted to push Robert into every parked car they passed and just press the length of their bodies together. Get his fingers in that hair, under that shirt. He was mad with it.

Robert didn’t say anything, but he seemed relaxed to Aaron. He had a slight upturn to his lips, hands shoved in his jacket pockets, swagger to his hips, like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Doubt started to creep in when they got to his door. Aaron paused with the key in the lock. Maybe this was a bad idea, need be damned. Then he felt warmth through his coat at the small of his back, felt Robert’s hand curl in, urging him onward. It was just enough to get Aaron to turn the key and swing open the door.

Everything changed in that instant. He was nudged inside, back to the wall, jacket pulled half off his shoulders as their mouths collided. The relief was immediate, like it had been days instead of minutes since they’d been here before. The wait had almost ended him.

Teeth and tongue, rough hands sliding across the skin of his waist. He was already so hard it was pathetic. He was desperate for some pressure, some relief. As if reading his mind Robert slid his thigh between Aaron’s legs, gave him something to thrust against. Once, twice, he leaned his head back and arched his body forward as his lungs demanded oxygen.

Robert’s hands slid down into Aaron’s back pockets, fingers curling painfully in as he pressed them closer. The rhythm was pure instinct. Perfect yet still not enough.

Teeth grazed his neck, made him hiss and his arms shake. He felt the burst of wet breath against his ear. Robert’s voice was low and husky.

“Longest walk of my life.”

It bloomed something in Aaron’s chest, made him giddy. He didn’t want to analyze it, didn’t want to think at all. He needed those lips again, wanted them to blank his mind. Nothing but this, just this moment. He shoved his hands in Robert’s hair, moved that mouth where he needed it, whispered against him.

“Shut up.”

He could feel Robert’s smile. The heat of their tongues dragged, Aaron’s fingers thrilled at the soft hair as they pulled. He grazed his teeth along Robert’s bottom lip, gave into the urge that wanted to bite, cause a little pain.

He was rewarded with large hands sliding up his back, fingers clutching hard at the muscle and skin. He was hit with a wave of cold as his top was pulled over his head. Lips finding each other again as Robert worked Aaron’s belt loose.

Aaron yanked at Robert’s shirt, pulled it free from the tight jeans that had to have been painted on. The buttons were too small, he lost all ability to work them when Robert’s hand palmed him through his boxer briefs. Gave him just enough pressure that he felt the wet through the heat.

He was desperate now; he tore the sides of Robert’s fancy shirt and sent buttons flying. He dipped his mouth to the expanse of skin in front of him, shoved Robert’s jacket and shirt down his arms. Robert shook them loose, hands moved to cup Aaron’s neck as he ran his mouth over the freckled collarbone, dipped his tongue and teeth, fed off the gruff “Fuck, Aaron” that filled his ears.

It gave him control back, his head clearing as he deftly worked Robert’s fly. He pushed material aside, mouthed his way down Robert’s chest until he was on his knees. God, he was gorgeous everywhere. He lightened his touch, feathered his fingers against the silky skin as he sucked hard at Robert’s hip. Fingers clutched at his hair, nails digging into his scalp. Robert was holding back, resisting the urge to shove Aaron’s mouth where he wanted it. Feeling generous Aaron nuzzled his nose along his length, letting his tongue drag behind it. He swirled around the head. He had wanted to tease Robert, draw it out, give himself just a taste. When he felt Robert’s slight tug in his hair he gave into what they both wanted.

Aaron’s tongue teased and he felt himself get harder still with every press of Robert at the back of his throat. He let his hands wander, over Robert’s jean clad thighs, around to that ass that had haunted his daydreams. He curled his fingers in hard, rewarded with Robert’s incoherent words as he took Aaron’s hint and started thrusting forward. It was exactly what Aaron needed, hummed his pleasure around Robert, drank in as much as he could. Robert’s movements got erratic, he had to be close and Aaron wanted to join him, craved a release of his own.

He grazed his teeth gently, heard Robert’s responding whimper. He pulled his dick free, sticky with precum and whimpered himself as he started to rubbed at the head, delighted at the sparks of pleasure that shot through him. He lost himself for a moment, lost Robert from his mouth, those large hands pulling him up from his knees. 

A quick searing wet kiss and then he was turned around. His arms braced the wall just in time, as Robert pressed them skin to skin and hands shoved his pants down to his knees. 

Still slick from his own mouth, he felt Robert slide between his cheeks. Lips sucked at his neck. Aaron bucked back, his moan more of a gasp. He choked out his sob when Robert’s hand wrapped around him. His hand synced with their hips, made Aaron lose all sanity.

He was so close, too close. He turned his head, met Robert’s mouth with his own. Lips grazed, shared breath. The feel of Robert so near to where he wanted him, grinding against him from behind, it destroyed him. He came with his back arched, hand in Robert’s hair, an arm holding him up as it tightened across his chest. He lost himself in the wave, went under, helpless against it. Robert’s teeth dug into his skin, leaving a mark that wouldn’t fade for days. Robert pressed harder, the friction enough to have him shouting his own release. It was hot and wet, a brand on Aaron’s skin, sticky between them. Aaron took Robert’s weight when he collapsed against Aaron’s back. His knees locked to keep them both upright, arm still braced against the wall to hold them up.

They stayed like that a long time. Robert’s forehead pressed into his neck. Fingers danced across Aaron’s stomach as they both fought to breathe again. He linked their fingers for a second, and ignored how right it felt.

*********

Robert woke up reaching for someone who wasn’t there. It took him a moment to realize where he was, where he’d ended up. He was in Aaron’s bed, sprawled out on soft sheets and very much alone. The alarm on the table beside him showed it was past 4:00 am. He listened for a moment, trying to hear if Aaron was moving around his flat somewhere but his ears were met with silence.

After they’d caught their breath in the entryway they’d cleaned up their mess the best they could. They’d laughed, pants barely pulled up as Aaron led him up the stairs and into his flat. He’d pulled Robert into the bathroom, they’d showered together under the hot spray. Mostly just kissed and teased as the water rained down around them. When the water started to turn cold, they’d toweled off. They didn’t talk, just stared openly for the first time, because they could. They crawled into bed, both exhausted. Robert stayed awake a little longer than Aaron, who seemed to sleep at the drop of a hat. When he was sure The other man was fully under he turned, slid his arm over Aaron’s stomach and pressed his face into the warmth of the neck in front of him. Within moments, he was out.

He turned on the bedside lamp, unsure where his clothes were. He debated for a moment, before invading Aaron’s privacy and opened the chest of drawers against the wall. He grabbed a pair of black boxer briefs and a blue tee that looked like it would fit him.

He ventured into Aaron’s main living space, took it in for the first time. It wasn’t large but had everything anyone would need. It made sense now why Aaron’s office was more of a home than a place to work. No doubt where the PI spent most of his time. There was a light on over the stove and Robert could see condensation on the outside of the kettle. In his bare feet he headed down the spiral staircase and towards the soft light glowing through the frosted glass of AD Investigations. He opened the door softly but loud enough that Aaron would hear him coming.

He found him, curly hair wild as he sat on the couch, tablet on the coffee table as he ran his fingers over the screen. Aaron’s bright blue eyes met his own, and Robert relaxed when he saw the soft smile gracing those lips. Lost all doubt completely when Aaron spoke first.

“Hey.”

Robert pushed off the door frame, walked forward and dipped his head to press a small kiss to Aaron’s cheek.

“Hey.”

He sat on the couch beside him, pressed his leg into Aaron’s. Wanted to be close to him, needed to be honestly.

“I didn’t wake you did I?”

“No, I rarely sleep for more than a few hours at a time. What you working on?”

Aaron leaned back against the sofa, his jogging shorts and long sleeved Henley looked soft. Robert resisted the urge to run his fingers over the fabric, under it.

“I can’t get it out of my head that Emerson is the key. It’s someone close to him, I just can’t figure out why.”

Robert nodded, reached forward and snagged a sip of Aaron’s lukewarm tea. He grimaced at the amount of sugar it contained. He arched his eyebrow at Aaron.

“That’s way too sweet.”

“Well, since it’s my tea, I’ll drink it how I want.”

Robert took another sip, just because he could. He watched Aaron’s eyes darken, felt his heart flutter as Aaron brought his face close.

“Like that is it?”

“If you want it to be.”

For some reason that caused Aaron to pull away, focus once again on the tablet.

“Aaron?”

“Yeah?”

But he wasn’t meeting Robert’s eyes, had taken the heat of his leg away from Robert’s own.

“Okay, we’re talking about this.”

He plucked the tablet from his hands.

“Talking about what?”

Aaron was scowling now, he looked like a perturbed teenager. Somehow, Robert thought it was adorable, but still a little frustrating.

“The fact that you owe me 50 quid. That was an expensive shirt you wrecked.”

“That ugly thing?”

But Aaron’s eyes, they were bright again. It eased the sickly feeling in his gut. The feeling Aaron might not be as affected by all this as Robert was. A warm hand on his thigh and then Aaron was leaning into him, hot mouth to his neck.

“Sorry, I’m a bit of an ass when I don’t get enough sleep.”

“So when was the last time you actually got a full night’s rest then?”

The huff of Aaron’s chuckle tickled his chin.

“Aaron…”

“Let’s just play it by ear, yeah? Just until the case is finished?”

Robert wanted to push the subject. Technically, they weren’t coworkers; they weren’t breaking any laws. It made him think Aaron was maybe breaking some personal rules of his own. Robert wanted to ask, to demand more information. Instead he tilted his head slightly and gave Aaron more access.

“Deal.”

Robert shoved aside his doubt and the nagging suspicion he was heading somewhere he wasn’t going to find his way back from. Instead he let Aaron lean him back down on the sofa, spread him out and take.

*********

A few hours later Aaron had kissed Robert goodbye, well actually pressed him into the front door and devoured him. The sight of Robert wearing his faded tee gave him more of a thrill than he wanted to admit. He was going to meet Robert later at his office. DSU White wanted to have a sit down with the him, plan their next move. He hoped Robert’s pink neck from beard burn had faded. As it was Aaron had enough trouble finding a shirt to cover the deep purple mark by his neck. 

He missed his run again, too busy getting Robert under him one more time before he had to leave. Plus Matty would be in soon, there were some questions Aaron didn’t want to answer. Fact was he didn’t have any of the answers. 

None of it mattered when Robert was there. Looking at him with that appreciative gaze. Reading his mind and fucking getting Aaron in a way he’d never encountered before. But once Robert was gone and he wasn’t wrapped up in him, well he had to question is own judgement didn’t he?

He liked Robert, a lot, more than he honestly should. Respected him. But fact remained they’d only known each other for a few days and they had to work together. More important, Robert was a cop. Sure he wasn’t booted up anymore, but suite and tie or not he still symbolized everything Aaron had wanted to be. Everything Aaron had taken from him.

It was one thing to help with this case, prove his worth, show once again it was his choice he wasn’t on the force anymore. Not that he couldn’t hack it. He was still trying to show that old fuck, the one long retired, that he had been wrong about him. That who he slept with didn’t make him less of a man, didn’t make him less of anything.

He was still brooding over coffee cup when he heard Matty come in.

“Good morning, Boss!”

He did not want to deal with chipper Barton this morning. He just didn’t have it in him. However he softened only slightly when a take away cup of Doug’s coffee was placed in front of him.

“How was your night?”

Aaron sipped his coffee and didn’t take his eyes off his computer screen.

“Fine.”

“Fine? Just fine?”

He was mid eye roll when a small clatter hit his desk. Four buttons, from Robert’s destroyed shirt no doubt, rolled onto his desk from Matty’s outstretched hand. He took another large sip of his coffee, he’d rather burn the roof of his mouth off than answer that question.

“Found these on the stairs. Pretty sure they weren’t there when I left last night.”

Aaron just shot him a look, hoped his murderous intent was clear. Matty just smirked at him, headed back to his desk and the safety of the front of the office. He picked up a button, let it roll between his fingers. It made him flush, the moments of last night, and again this morning, replaying in his memory. He gathered the buttons and dropped them into his desk drawer. Let them click around with his business cards and some random paperclips before he put them out of sight. Tucked Robert into the part of his brain to be thought of again and again, but not right now.

He needed to focus, the list of people interviewed after Emerson’s death was in front of him. That’s where his mind should be.

Everyone in his life, from friends to family to neighbours all had alibis. All had great things to say about the man, no one could fathom who would want him dead. All the signs pointed to it being a stranger attack, someone who targeted Emerson for no other reason than his sexuality. It just wasn’t sitting for him. There was something he was missing. They’d find it, they had to.

*********

Robert loathed the fact that the first time he’d see Aaron after last night would be in his office, surrounded by his coworkers and boss. He’d left him in the early morning hours, drunk on a goodbye kiss that he didn’t want to end. Yet in the light of day, Robert was facing the reality of the situation which he didn’t enjoy, not one single bit. There was something between them; more than sex, more than partnership. Aaron had to feel it too or he wouldn’t be holding back like he was. 

For the first time Robert was dreading finding their killer, because that would mean a conversation he was already sure wouldn’t go his way. He didn’t consider himself a relationship guy, he could go with the ebb and flow of keeping it loose. But he also knew a good thing when he saw it, and he’d never seen anything as good as Aaron Dingle, of that he was certain.

He’d made up his mind he’d take what he could get, do his best from keeping any feelings from mucking it up. At least the case, the one that had brought them together, would give him something else to focus on.

He’d had himself convinced of it. He was actually feeling pretty sound with the situation until Aaron walked into the bullpen with a visitors badge clipped to lapel of his suit. Aaron Dingle, in jeans and a jumper was mouthwatering, in a suit he was fucking devastating. It was a simple black number, but it fit him well, a crisp white shirt open at the collar. Robert knew tucked underneath was bruised skin, marked by his mouth just hours before. Robert was grateful Aaron had foregone a tie, there was only so much he could take.

They locked eyes. It was brief but Robert’s stomach still fluttered in the moment. All he got was a nod of the head in recognition before DSU White was striding toward him, shaking Aaron’s hand and smiling at him like he was an old friend. He watched them walk back to her office, the door shut against prying ears and eyes.

“That’s the Wonder PI, huh?”

Robert leaned back in his chair, gazed at Tate who must have come in behind Aaron, and shrugged. Everyone knew Aaron was visiting that morning, the office was buzzing with it. He was a superstar after all.

“Yeah.”

He hoped he didn’t look as wound up as he felt, hoped Tate couldn’t see the nerves as he tapped his pen against his desk.

“He’s younger than I thought.”

“Nah, you’re just old.”

That got him a grin.

“Any luck last night?”

Tate huffed, collapsed in his chair across from Robert’s and ran a hand through his hair.

“Nothing. Either no one knew Jane Doe or they’re staying tight lipped. I’m surprised we haven’t gotten a match on her prints.”

“We’ve got a couple more weeks before her tox screens come back in. Even with the rush Vanessa has put on them. Maybe she hadn’t been an addict for long or she was new to town.”

It happened more than Robert would like to admit. Small towns and villages didn’t hold much for the true down and outs. They’d come to the city and be swallowed up on the streets, lost to the drugs easier to find than back home.

“Tate, have we tried any missing persons?”

“Nothing matching her description has come up, I’ve double checked.”

“Go back further, at least three months. If she was new to town there may be someone looking for her.”

“Good plan, I’ll talk to the team this morning. You and Dingle sticking around?”

“No clue to be honest.”

He went back to his computer, pulling up interview notes from Emerson’s case. Aaron had convinced him last night that they should go back to the beginning. Jane Doe was a wash for now, they had to start somewhere. With their new theory maybe some fruit would fall if they shook some trees. He was debating setting up new interviews, maybe bringing back in Emerson’s wife or his older brother when the voices of the office started to raise.

He craned his head and couldn’t stop the smile that crept onto his face. Chrissie must be done with Aaron now, walking him around the office, introducing him to everyone that came forward for a chat. From the looks of it, everyone did. He watched Aaron shake hands, nod politely but Robert could tell the PI just wanted to ground to open up and swallow him whole. He actually enjoyed watching Aaron squirm a little, uncomfortable with the animated faces that Robert could only assume were showering Aaron with praise.

That is until he saw DCI McGregor come over and introduce himself. Robert knew McGregor, he was a stand up bloke, not too bad to look at and according to office gossip had just broken up with his boyfriend. He didn’t like the appraising way McGregor was looking at Aaron and he certainly didn’t like the small laugh Aaron puffed out at whatever had just been said between them.

He didn’t think about it too long, told himself it was for Aaron’s benefit really, he clearly wasn’t a social animal. Not good with the attention. Robert was just going to do him a favor, saving him from the adoring masses. He wasn’t jealous, or possessive. That wasn’t Robert’s style. He stood up, thankful when Aaron saw him and seemed to visibly relax. Robert didn’t have to save Aaron, who just politely extracted himself from his fans and stopped at Robert’s desk. 

In that moment he wished his desk was a more personal place, more homey. He didn’t have any pictures on display or any personal knickknacks, which was sad when he realized how much time he spent sitting here. Just like his apartment was, function and need, not comfort and home. It made Robert frown, that he would actually care what Aaron would think of his bloody desk of all things.

“Alright?”

Robert just shrugged at Aaron, resisted the urge to touch him as he leaned to half perch on the corner by Robert. Close but not close enough.

“Yeah, still no ID on our Jane Doe.”

A slight cough across the way had them both look up at Joe, who leaned forward in his chair and extended his hand.

“DCI Joseph Tate, a pleasure to meet you Mr Dingle.”

Aaron was all reluctant charm as they shook hands.

“Aaron, please. So you’re the poor soul stuck with Sugden on a regular basis?”

Joe laughed and Robert squinted, disliking the way this conversation was going.

“Technically but Sugden’s a lone wolf. You know the type.”

Aaron chuckled and Robert resisted the urge to bend the pen he was holding in half. He was standing right here and last time he checked he hadn’t mastered invisibility.

“So do we need to stick around, Sugden?”

“Want to leave your adoring fans already, Dingle?”

He regretted it as soon as it was out of his mouth. Because it hadn’t been joking, he was being an asshole. He had wanted it to be. He saw Aaron tense, his jovial attitude disappeared before Robert’s eyes. For once he was grateful for Tate, who seemed oblivious as usual.

“We don’t need you for the team meeting, unless you have anything new.”

“I’ll pass. I have some things to go over back at my office. Nice to meet you, DCI Tate.”

He watched Aaron shake Joe’s hand again and walk away, without so much as a word to Robert.

“He seems like a good guy.”

Tate got up from his desk, probably heading to the task room and the rest of the team.

Yeah he is, Robert thought, he is.

**********

Aaron refused to let Robert’s attitude affect his own. He’d dreaded going into the station that morning and it had all gone really well. Everyone had been polite, no one fawning too much or acting like he was the Wonder PI. No one had asked him outright about the Jacobson case and he’d been able to slink away with his sanity intact.

Chrissie White had been just the way he remembered her, beautiful and a fucking ball buster. She was impressed with how much he and Robert had accomplished in their short time together. She asked how they were getting along, if there were any issues. Aaron assured her that everything was fine, leaving out the fact that Robert had been so deep inside him that morning he’d had seen stars.

If this morning had proved anything it was that whatever last night had been it was a mistake. One he was going to make sure didn’t happen again. He should have known better. He did know better, but Robert had gotten under his skin. He still felt the itch, had felt the punch of want in his gut when he’d seen Robert at his desk this morning, fiddling with a pen in his hands. It wasn’t just the want, the physical attraction, he genuinely liked Robert. He’s open in a way Aaron has never mastered. He made Aaron feel light, even with the heaviness of this case, with the overall suffocation of life, Robert eased it a little. It’s the only reason he’d broken his cardinal rule of “no cops” when it came to relationships or sex, hell even friendship. One look at Robert and he’d let it all fly out the window. Aaron had never been very good at learning his lesson and this time was no exception.

He stopped at Doug’s for a coffee and a danish, because fuck it he deserved one, before heading up to the office. Matty was already there, cup of tea in hand and nattering on about who knows what. Aaron didn’t bother going upstairs to change, just flung his jacket on his office sofa and rolled up the sleeves of his button down shirt. Matty raised his eyebrows at Aaron’s ensemble but read the vibes Aaron was giving off and kept his mouth shut.

He’d barely settled at his desk, sucking icing from his danish off his thumb when Robert walked into his office. Aaron heard Matty say something but Robert didn’t even look in his direction, his eyes searching for Aaron. He seemed almost relieved when he saw him. It got Aaron’s back up, he didn’t need his mistakes thrown in his face again, not now, not ever.

Aaron ignored him to go back to his notes, if Robert had something to say he could just come in and damn well say it. He didn’t glance up until he heard his door click.

“You look good in a suit.”

“Don’t, Sugden.”

Robert leaned against the door, hands shoved in his pocket.

“Look I was in a mood and I was being snippy, I’m sorry if I offended you.”

“You didn’t.”

Robert narrowed his eyes, Aaron resisted the urge to leap out of his chair. He wasn’t doing this, he couldn’t do this. Robert pushed off the door and stood by Aaron’s desk, just like he’d done himself an hour before against Robert’s. Back when he’d thought that this, them, might not blow up in his face.

“Well, okay then. So what’s the plan for today?”

“The plan is for me to see if I can get an interview with Emerson’s wife as soon as possible. I’m also thinking about swinging into Emerson's old job, see if any old office gossip might be of use.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No, I’ve got it handled. I’m up to speed on everything. Just text me if anything new comes up.”

Aaron wanted Robert to get that he had been dismissed, that he was done. They would work together as much as two loners could, but that was it. End of story. Instead Robert looked like he was gearing for a fight. 

“Aaron, don’t be…”

A quick tap on the door interrupted Robert and Matty popped his head in.

“Hey Rob, you want a coffee?”

“Sugden, isn’t sticking around.”

He felt guilty when his tone made Robert wince and Matty widen his eyes.

“Matty, why don’t you go get us some lunch.”

“Boss, it’s still early…”

“Just do it yeah?”

Matty looked at him for a second before a lightbulb seemed to go off over his head. He looked from Aaron in his white shirt and Robert in his suit, finally making the connection. Those fucking buttons.

“Ugh, right. Yeah. Okay.”

He widened his eyes again at Aaron and shut the door quickly. Aaron didn’t dare speak until he heard the main office door close, and he was certain they were alone.

“Well, I think Matty knows about us.”

“There’s nothing to know.”

Robert turned to him, crossed his arms over his chest.

“So I say one thing you don’t like and that’s it? Real mature, Dingle.”

Aaron pushed back in his chair, tried to look unphased. Not like his stomach was rolling, or that he could feel the prickle of sweat at the base of his neck.

“Nothing should have happened to begin with. We’ve got to work together. The mature thing would be to forget about last night and focus on what’s important. “

“Is that what you want?”

“It’s what I want.”

“Fine.”

But it wasn’t fine, not to Aaron. He’d made everything messy, because he couldn’t keep it in his pants. Robert was just a guy, and the sooner this case was over the sooner he could get back to what was important. Doing something worthwhile with his life. He’d finally found his place after everything, he didn’t want to lose it. Aaron wouldn’t survive feeling that broken again, that humiliated and shunned, no he’d made a promise to himself. He wouldn’t break it, he couldn’t.

With that settled he got out of his chair and headed for the door. He needed Robert to get the hint and give him space, to follow him out of his office. This had all been too intense from the beginning. He needed it to all cool down, he needed to think.

Robert snagged Aaron’s arm as he tried to walk past, a hand warm and wide around his wrist.

“I don’t believe you.”

His words were firm, and so was the pull that had him moving forward, a palm to his cheek and Robert’s lips soft and smooth against his own. He didn’t shove Robert away, he didn’t even put up a fight, just sunk into it, let himself be soothed.

When the kiss ended, Aaron kept his eyes closed. Just focused on the fingers squeezing his wrist, rubbing against his pulse and making it jump.

“Will you just tell me? Please?”

Aaron took a deep breath, and opened his eyes. Those blue green depths, he’d been screwed the first time he’d fallen into them, no point in trying to save himself now.

“Okay.”


	6. Chapter 6

Robert’s hands felt empty when Aaron stepped away from him. It wasn’t a rejection, not like before. Aaron just needed his space and Robert just had to man up and give it to him, even if it went against what both his head and heart wanted.

On the drive to Aaron’s office, he’d been mentally kicking himself for letting his jealousy get in the way of how well they seemed to work together. They’d barely known each other a week. He wasn’t a sentimental person by nature; he didn’t believe in love at first sight or even long term relationships really. He knew they worked, he knew enough happily married people to believe it could be feasible. Robert had just never felt what he was sure you were supposed to. He’d listened to his sister go on and on about her husband; he just didn’t get it. How do you choose one person for the rest of your life? How could there be one single individual that made you feel what no one else could? It didn’t seem real to him, so he figured it wasn’t something he was meant to have. He just wasn’t wired that way.

In walks Aaron Dingle and all that goes out the window. Robert had been desperate for him from the start, not just the desire to be under him, to taste that skin and feel the power in those arms. Sex hadn’t had the desired effect of getting Aaron out of his system. Aaron Dingle wasn’t gone, he’d dug down deep, and Robert wanted him there.

How had it only been hours really since he’d known him? With his heart beating wildly, and feeling a little fragile, he climbed the stairs in Aaron’s building. He didn’t know what he was about to walk into, didn’t know if Aaron was going to punch him or kiss him, maybe even both. Through the door he heard Matty’s far off greeting but he only had eyes for Aaron. That blue gaze looked blank, regarded Robert like he was filth stuck to the bottom of his shoe. He knew Aaron wanted to hurt him and with that look he succeeded. Robert resisted the urge to rub at his chest and ease the strange ache.

Still when Aaron looked away all Robert could hear was his sister’s sing-song voice, drunk on too much wine and shining with happiness on her wedding day.

“Robert, when you know, you just know.”

Standing there, trying to break through whatever steel barricade Aaron had thrown up around himself, _knowing_ that this wasn’t something he could walk away from, Robert started to panic. Aaron was dismissing him, them, and that just wouldn’t do. Because this wasn’t about Robert, this was about something more, someone else. Robert would bear the wrath for his own wrongdoings but he wouldn’t let what they had be ended because of someone else’s mistakes. Not before they’d even begun.

Aaron sat on one end of the sofa, wound up so tight that Robert was afraid he was going to snap. Instead he watched him lean over on his knees, run a hand over the back of his neck.

“What do you know about me leaving the force?”

“Nothing.”

And that was the honest truth, he had just assumed Aaron left because he wanted to. No one had ever said anything to make Robert believe otherwise.

“I hate this.”

“Aaron, if it’s this difficult….”

“No, it’s not….just let me get it out okay?”

Robert didn’t answer, didn’t think he needed to. Silence was what was required of him right now. He watched Aaron look around the room, flit his eyes everywhere except at his desk, where Robert was leaning.

“I wanted to be a cop my whole life. My Dad, he wasn’t a great guy. There was...anyway I looked up to police. They were the goods guys. I wanted to be a good guy, I wanted to help people. I wanted to be the exact opposite of my father.”

Another sigh, another shuffle and Robert resisted the urge to just sit beside Aaron and hold him.

“I got a lot of shit for it too, from my family. They’re not criminal masterminds or anything but their hands aren’t the cleanest. It didn’t deter me. My whole life I kept in shape, worked hard. I wasn’t the best at school but I hung in there. Even when I accepted I was gay I worried….but nothing was going to stop me.”

Aaron smiled for a second, sad and nostalgic, and Robert wanted to peek into his mind. Robert wished he could catch a glimpse of Aaron Dingle back then, when he was just a kid with his dream.

“Passing training, getting my badge, best day of my life. I got assigned to a small village with a small station, far from home. It was lonely but I was doing what I always wanted. That’s where I met DSU White; she was just a DCI then but she saw how hungry I was for it. She taught me a lot. Two years in, she got promoted and she left. Her replacement was a DCI Trent Isaac. Ever heard of him?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

Aaron shrugged.

“He seemed like a good guy, a good cop. We became friendly. One night we went out for beers and….you can guess the rest.”

Robert could, but he didn’t want to.

“It wasn’t until I went in for my next shift that I found out he was married, to a woman. 2 kids, the whole fucking white picket fence. I told him that I wasn’t interested in breaking up a family. He seemed to take it alright, if not a little disappointed. But it was barely a week before the write ups started.”

Robert whipped his head up.

“What do you mean?”

“It was stupid shit at first. Uniform infractions, made up missed calls. I was good at my job, I didn’t fuck around, not when it came to that. I told myself it was nothing. A misunderstanding. Then one day I opened my locker to find faggot written in marker all inside. When I went to report it to our DSU it turned out I had been reported by Isaac first, for sexual harassment.”

“Jesus, Aaron.”

He couldn’t stop himself then, he moved to sit on the couch, gave Aaron space between them but let him know he was there. Robert had him, whatever came next.

Aaron gave him a soft smile.

“I denied it, of course I did, it wasn’t true. But then other officers came forward. Guys I worked with, guys I admired. All fucking lying that I had tried it on with them. I never hid that I was gay but I didn’t announce it; I wasn’t stupid.”

“You shouldn’t have had to worry about it either way.”

Aaron scoffed at Robert then.

“Life isn’t ever what it’s supposed to be though is it?”

No, Robert realized, it fucking wasn’t.

“So I was out on unpaid leave. No one would talk to me. I thought these guys were my friends. And I was sunk, what could I do? There was going to be an investigation. I was going to lose everything I worked so hard for. That was it.”

“But then how…”

Aaron looked at him then, right in the eyes, and he smiled.

“Isaac fucked up.”

*********

Aaron hated to admit it but he relaxed a bit when Robert sat beside him. They weren’t touching but the heat Robert gave off was comforting. He resisted the urge to press their knees together, take some of that warmth for himself, and continued on.

“He showed up to the place I was living, a small cottage on the edge of the village. He was drunk, apologetic, the bastard even cried. I let him in and he told me the whole sordid story. I guess our DSU saw the write ups Isaac was making and called him out on it. Turns out he thought I was good police, that is until Isaac’s told him I was gay. Didn’t matter how good I was at my job, DSU Parker wanted me out as soon as he learned that. He leaned on Isaac’s and the rest of the guys. Some of the men were willing participants, some were not.”

“So what did you do?”

“I went to Internal Affairs, Isaac crumpled under interrogation. His wife had left him and he was struggling with his sexuality, or maybe he really had been a good guy in an impossible situation, who the fuck knows. From there, the dominos fell. DSU Parker got shoved into early retirement, some of the officers were told to resign or else be fired. Meanwhile I was handed a payout to keep my mouth shut. They even offered me a promotion to DCI. Not because I earned it but because they didn’t want the media storm that would follow.”

“So you took the money.”

“Damn straight I did. I didn’t want to at first but I couldn’t stay on, not after that. Constantly checking over my shoulder. At my age no one would believe I’d earned that rank, and even though it was what I’d always wanted...it would have been tainted wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah, it would have.”

“I never would have gone to the media, but they didn’t know that. I’ve never wanted to be anyone’s poster boy. I just wanted to help people, I wanted to make a difference. Sounds naive doesn’t it?”

That’s how Aaron had felt when it was all over. Stupid and naive for believing that by being good at his job, by being a good cop, that nothing else would matter. Weirdly it helped him understand his family more. No one else was looking out for you, you had to watch your own back, your family’s back. That’s what mattered.

Robert’s hand pressed into his knee.

“You know why I became a cop?”

“Because you’re a cocky bastard?”

Robert’s laugh warmed him even more, broke some of the tension.

“To piss off my Dad. He was a stand up guy in the community, everyone loved him. A solid farmer who hated that his son didn’t want to follow in his footsteps, or that he occasionally dated men. But he couldn’t say shit about me being a cop. I knew it drove him crazy when people told him how proud he must be, a DCI for a son. He died not too long after I was promoted.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Me and him, well we never...anyway it doesn’t matter. I just lucked out that I like the job, love it actually. But it becomes a part of who you are and so I get it. I don’t know what I would do if I had it taken away from me.”

They sat in easy quiet for a few minutes. A car horn honked somewhere outside, Aaron could hear the shallowness of Robert’s breathing. 

“It’s too bad we didn’t meet under different circumstances, Dingle.”

Aaron slid his hand over Robert’s, interlocked their fingers.

“You’re still a cop, Sugden. I would have run a mile.”

“You underestimate my pick up lines.”

“I bet they’re cheesy as shite.”

“You wouldn’t be wrong.”

Robert squeezed his hand until he looked up.

“I am sorry about earlier, Aaron. I get it. I like you, a lot, and I like working with you. I also think you’re sexy as hell.”

Robert’s face was so open, so sincere that it made Aaron believe him, more than that, he wanted to. So he leaned forward, let Robert meet him halfway. He had meant it to be a quick brush of lips, a thank you for being there, for listening. It didn’t end up that way, not when the touch of lips shook something loose and had him twisting, hands moving to Robert’s face, holding him close and taking. This was had got him breaking all his own rules to begin with, the spark and the heat that Robert gave him. The sound of the main door swinging open and Matty’s return was the only thing that made him pull away, put a little space between them.

Just in time too, when Matty walked into his office with a bag in his hand.

“Oh, I didn’t know you’d still be here Robert. I didn’t get you anything.”

“Don’t worry about it Matty, he can share mine.”

Matty’s beaming smile was enough to make Aaron blush but thankfully his friend said nothing, just put the bag on the coffee table and made a quick exit. When the door shut Aaron turned back to Robert, whose face was lit up like Aaron had just given him a damn present or something.

“Shut up, Sugden.”

“Didn’t say anything, Dingle.”

They shared Aaron’s sandwich, Robert wrinkled his nose at the amount of vinegar Aaron put on his chips and they weathered their first storm; that had to count for something.

**********

Robert didn’t want to believe that the afternoon had been a waste but it sure felt like it. They’d spent an hour at Emerson's old accounting office. His coworkers and boss didn’t have anything new or worthwhile to say. Also their excitement was vaguely disgusting. When an officer and private investigator show up at your work it makes for an exciting story to tell the family around the dinner table that evening. It made Robert more thankful that he didn’t have your regular nine to five desk job, where you lived for the weekend and two weeks paid vacation a year.

After that they’d stopped in to see Emerson’s older brother William. He’s been happy to receive them, glad his brother’s death wasn’t being forgotten. He offered them coffee but no new information.

Aaron seemed back to his regular self after their conversation that morning. They didn’t mention it, just ate lunch and discussed the rest of the afternoon. Robert assumed their original plan was back on, no more talk of “them” until the case was wrapped up. Still he felt more confident about where they stood, he had a view of the battleground now, and he thought for sure he just might win.

He felt like a winner right now, driving his service car with Aaron in the passenger seat. He still had his suit on, those blue eyes bright as they squinted against the sun shining through the window. Robert would admit he found it difficult to focus on the road.

“Robert, are you sure it’s okay for us to show up like this?”

Robert hadn’t been able to reach Emerson’s wife the last two days and decided they should just turn up. She worked odd hours as a nurse and no doubt run off her feet as a single mom of two boys.

“Yeah, if she’s not home I’ll just leave my card. She’s always been helpful so I don’t imagine it will be an issue.”

Robert pulled into the driveway, the house an almost replica of every other one on the street. Nicely manicured patches of grass. Glossy front doors. The illusion of a safe neighbourhood. He stopped the car and parked behind a cherry red minivan, a hopeful sign that someone was home.

As they got out of the car Aaron seemed walked over to the garage door, tugged on the handle but other than shake loudly it didn’t budge. He looked sheepishly over at Robert and shrugged.

“I had to check.”

“Naturally.”

At the door Aaron stood close behind him as he rang the bell. There was a sound of scattering inside and the unmistakable bark of a dog. God, he was going to get dog hair all over his pant legs wasn’t he?

Surprisingly the door was opened by a petite young woman, who looked about 20 years old, bright blonde hair and a nose ring. She looked at them both with a shocked expression so Robert put on his “kind but authoritative” face.

“Sorry to bother you, Miss. I’m DCI Robert Sugden and this is my associate Aaron Dingle. We were hoping to have a few minutes to speak with Mrs Emerson if she is in.”

The young lady eyed them up, her cheeks bloomed pink when she caught sight of Aaron behind them. Robert almost felt bad for her, he knew the effect that face could have.

“Um...she’s not here. She took the boys on a little vacation for a few days. They’re in Greece. I’m just house sitting and looking after Scooter.”

As if on command a rather large German Shepherd muscled past her and made his way straight for Aaron. The PI crouched down and started petting the thing, causing it to pant in excitement.

“And you are?”

“Oh, Chelsea McConnell. I just live next door. Is this…is this about Mr Emerson?”

“Did you know him?”

Her eyes rounded at Robert, clearly a good girl who didn’t have much interaction with police.

“Well yeah, I’ve lived next door for years. I babysit the boys. He was a nice man. I had nightmares for weeks after...I mean who would do something like that?”

Robert gave her a sympathetic smile, but ignored the question. Life was dark enough and she was too young to have to face that yet. He handed her his card instead.

“Could you just let Mrs Emerson know we stopped in and have her give me a call when she’s home?”

She took the card, reading it over and then shoving it in her jeans pocket.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Thank you.”

“Come on, Scooter.”

The dog whined, clearly not ready to leave the hands of one Aaron Dingle, but raced back inside nonetheless.

“Lock the door behind you yeah? Can never be too safe.”

She gave him a small smile and he turned to leave, satisfied when he heard the door shut and the lock click into place. Back in the car he did up his seatbelt but made no more to start the thing. Aaron’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

“Sugden, I don’t recall reading the name Chelsea in the case files. 

“Me neither. Brian McConnell and his wife Janice, one underage daughter. She didn’t look underage to me.”

“Back to mine?”

“Yeah.”

The drove back in contemplative silence. One young girl who lived next door wasn’t exactly a case breaker but why wasn’t she mentioned in the files? Robert hadn’t done the neighbour interviews, that had probably been Tate or maybe a uniform. The case hasn’t been serial in the beginning, it hadn’t been all hands on deck then. That had been three murders ago, back when Robert used to be able to sleep at night.

It was later then Robert realized when they got back to Aaron’s office. Matty was putting on his jacket as they walked in.

“Oh hey, I was just taking off, unless you need me to stay, Boss?”

“I have some stuff I need you to look into but it can wait until the tomorrow.”

The young man smiled and waved them goodnight, happy to be free of them from the looks of it.

“See you in the morning guys.”

When the door shut Robert slid his hands in his pockets and smirked.

“Looks like he definitely knows about us.”

Aaron rolled his eyes but still leaned into Robert’s space, grazed their lips together.

“If you’re lucky he might even bring you your own apple danish in the morning.”

Robert chased those lips and kissed him again, just because he could.

“Or you could just share yours.”

Aaron pushed him good naturally and started taking off his suit jacket. He turned away, heading to his desk but not before throwing a smile over his shoulder.

“Not bloody likely.”

**********

“Well then look at your notebook then, because it should have been in the report.”

Aaron watched Robert pace around his office, long limbs covering the space in just a few strides before he’d turn and prowl back again. He was on the phone with DCI Tate and it clearly wasn't going well.

They’d ordered in food, that Robert insisted on paying for, and went over their reports again. Robert couldn’t find anything on Chelsea McConnell and to say he was angry would be an understatement. He’d been ranting to Tate on the phone for the last 10 minutes. Aaron finally just tuned him out and started searching for the girl on social media. All of her accounts were private, which was rare in most people these days. 

“Yeah, okay. Well just look into okay? I know. Yes, I know. As soon as you can.”

Aaron watched Robert toss his phone on the table and rub his eyes with the palms of his hand. His hair was wild from running his hand through it in frustration. At one point he’d ditched his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves, just like Aaron had. He had a spot of curry sauce on his collar that Aaron didn’t mention to him. He liked seeing Robert all mussed up, made the man look more human and less like a Greek god. 

“So?”

Robert sighed and looked at him, Aaron could see the weariness in those eyes. 

“It seems the uniform that did the interview at the McConnell household didn’t bother to interview the daughter because she’s underage. Tate looked her up in the system and she turned 18 shortly after Emerson’s murder. It probably doesn’t mean anything but still, if someone missed that then what else did they miss?”

“She’s just a kid Robert, and there is no way she committed these murders. She could barely handle that dog, let alone two grown men.”

Robert rubbed the pads of his fingers against his temples.

“God, I’m so tired of this.”

“You’re tired period. You should head home and get some rest.”

Aaron watched Robert flop down on the couch, spread his legs in a move that should have been illegal and lean his head back. Eyes closed he let out a long sigh.

“No point, it’s not like I’d sleep anyway.”

Aaron twisted his body, leg up on the couch as he propped his head up on his hand. It was ridiculous how attractive Robert was honestly. He was almost too good looking, blond hair and skin with a hint of a tan, even after their long winter and spring. Aaron wondered if he went on a holiday recently, or maybe he was just always a little golden with his spread of freckles. With Robert’s eyes closed he could make out the thick lashes that brushed against his cheeks, the shape of those lips and the line of his jaw. 

Aaron was half hard already and he hadn’t even looked below the neck, fascinated by the blond stubble already dusting those cheeks. He wondered what it would feel like against his skin. Wondered if it could make him burn, leave his skin pink and sensitive, give Aaron something he would feel for days afterwards. 

He knew he should turn back to his notes, look at the same names and typed out interviews he’d been pouring over all evening. He knew he should turn away from Robert and maybe let him rest for a few moments. Or he could give in to the urge to reach out and touch him.

It turned out to be a battle he didn’t have to fight. He watched those lips tilt up before they spoke.

“I know you’re watching me.”

“You’re pretty sure of yourself aren’t you?”

“Little bit.”

Aaron had to laugh at that. Look at the man, of course he was. Then again there were things Aaron was pretty confident about as well.

To prove his point he shuffled forward, kept his hand holding up his head but moved the other one to Robert’s knee, rubbing small circles with his fingers. Robert didn’t say anything, just kept his eyes closed and that smile on his face.

Feeling like it was a challenge now Aaron moved his hand up Robert’s thigh, digging his fingers in almost like he was giving a massage. The back of his fingers dangerously close to the bulge he could see growing before his very eyes. It never failed to make him feel powerful, the effect he could have over someone who desired him, who wanted what Aaron did. With Robert it was different. He felt like he’d won something, it surprised him each time. 

Robert wants him, and for some reason Aaron can’t fathom why. 

He almost took his hand away, shocked by the voice in his head. But then he heard Robert’s breath hitch for a second, lifting his hips just a bit to try and move Aaron’s hand where he wanted it. Now that just wouldn’t do. So instead Aaron trailed the back of his hand lightly over Robert’s crotch before slipping his fingers under his shirt, letting his fingers dance over warm taunt muscle.

Robert rolled his head and opened his eyes, stealing Aaron’s gaze, and his breath. Robert held him captive as Aaron just slowly danced his fingers back and forth. When Robert licked his lips Aaron had to bite back a moan of his own.

“You play dirty.”

Aaron didn’t break the connection of their eyes or the press of his fingers to Robert’s skin.

“Little bit.”

********

Robert was bone tired but he was getting his second wind, or at least his dick was. He had avoided Aaron’s suggestion he leave and head home, not when here was where he wanted to be. It felt nice, feeling Aaron’s heated gaze sweep over him, that itself had stirred him to life. When he felt the hand on his knee he knew they were on the same page.

Aaron was being a tease and though he liked it, a hell of a lot, there was something else he had in mind. Especially when Aaron was giving him sarcasm and dark eyes, biting his lower lip and knowing exactly what it was doing to him. He wanted to hold out, just keep their eyes locked and see who would give in first. But Aaron had the unfair advantage of his fingers on Robert’s stomach, fingers that were too gentle but still making him hard.

“I’ll concede this round if it gets you under me.”

Aaron’s puff of surprised laughter at Robert’s words were enough to have him reaching, hand to Aaron’s cheek to pull him in. Open, wet and slow, just a taste until Aaron groaned and his fingers dug into Robert’s skin. 

Robert prided himself on his control and his patience. He knew how to wait to get what he wanted, to get it exactly how he wanted it. With Aaron he wanted too much and all that damn pride went out the window. Still he couldn’t bring himself to care when he deepened the kiss, pushed Aaron back until he was spread out beneath him and caged by Robert’s arms.

He ducked his head but avoided Aaron’s lips, instead licking and sucking at his neck, the desperate noises Aaron made filled him with satisfaction. He resisted the urge to grind down on the heat below him, the urge to just take what he needed. It was his turn to tease.

Aaron’s hands were tugging at his hips, trying to get leverage and something to thrust against but Robert was having too much fun, delighting in the skin before him. His fingers worked on buttons to reveal more. Aaron hissed when Robert bit hard on his collarbone. His voice was a husky plea.

“Now who's playing dirty?”

Robert kissed him then, hard and demanding, before he let himself be welcomed between Aaron’s thighs. He marveled at how perfectly they locked together, Aaron’s dick a perfect line of heat against his own. Robert needed air and he needed to see those eyes, wanted to watch what their frantic movements were doing to them. 

Instead Aaron’s hands clutched at him, pulled him in tighter and he lost himself to the feel of it. His arms were quaking and he was too fucking close, like a randy teenager about to spill in his pants.

He gave up the fight, pressing them chest to chest, his fingers diving into Aaron’s hair. He tugged hard when Aaron circled his hips and tilted.

“Jesus, Aaron, fuck.”

He sped up his movements, Aaron’s whimpers like gasoline on the fire. He shifted his hips, rewarded when Aaron clutched his fingers in hard enough to bruise.

“Rob, harder...right there…”

Robert cut off Aaron’s demands with his mouth, too close to losing his mind and needing to drag them both over together. It surprised him, the freefall as every nerve in his body seemed to explode, sparks blinding him. But he kept going, grateful when he heard Aaron’s guttural moan and felt him tense beneath him. Finally Robert let himself go.

He wasn’t sure if he fell asleep or just blacked out for a second. He was half sprawled on Aaron, half wedged into the couch. His face was pressed into a warm shoulder and fingers were combing through his damp hair.

He raised his head, his satisfaction complete when he saw the contented smile on Aaron’s face, the line of sweat on his brow.

“You good, Dingle?”

“Shut up, Sugden.”

Robert hummed into the soft kiss Aaron gave him, slide his hand over Aaron’s chest and curl into his waist. When their lips separated he just laid his head in the crook of Aaron’s shoulder and let the fingers scraping his scalp lull him to sleep.

He’d awake hours later in the same position, the sunrise lighting the sky in a pink haze. Somehow they were covered in a blanket and Aaron was still wrapped in his arms fast asleep. Robert just breathed deep and let himself sink back under. 

*********

It was too much. They were too close.

He’d seen them today, those idiots who didn’t understand. He knew he’d messed up with the last one. He hadn’t thought it out enough. It was like the first all over again. He needed to get himself under control, he needed to get her under control.

He had to make her see. It was the only way.

He opened the drawer, then slammed it shut again. Even his prizes couldn’t calm him this time.

They see you, Son.

Run. Run. Run.

No. No. NO.

Not before…

He heard a door slam. She was home. 

It’s time, Son.

Mother, please don’t make me. Anything but that.

He heard the laughter, it rang in his ears. She had always been right and he had always been stupid. 

They couldn’t stop him, not before, not yet.

There was nothing more to be done. It was time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you for the kind words. And to my girl for being an amazing editor.


	7. Chapter 7

Robert woke up again, this time with the sun shining on his face and his arms empty. He didn’t want to take it personally but it would have been nice to open his eyes and have Aaron still in his arms. He sat up suddenly at the thought, since when did that ever matter to him? He hadn’t woken up with someone in years and it shouldn’t feel essential now. He rubbed his hands over his face, his shirt smelled faintly of sweat and sex, he had no doubt his hair was wild. Still he felt good, relishing the satisfied stretch of his arms and the roll of his shoulders. He’d slept deep and dreamless, and for more than snippets at a time. 

It took him a second before he noticed the writing on the yellow legal pad before him, propped up by their discarded coffee cups on top of the table.

“Went for a run. You snore.”

Robert was still staring at the words in Aaron’s messy scrawl when he heard the office door open. He froze for a second, worried it might be Matty catching him in a disheveled state. Robert was relieved when it was Aaron that opened the door, rubbing a towel across his neck as he dropped his phone and ear buds on the coffee table. Robert’s stomach flipped when Aaron looked him over and those blue eyes brighten.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

For some reason that word was there’s, and it said more than it probably should. 

“You sleep okay?”

“Best one I’ve had in a really long time.”

“That sofa was a pretty good investment.”

Robert just nodded in agreement, Aaron knew what he’d meant even if the PI had tried to play it off.

“I’m going to have a shower. I’d offer to let you join me but you probably want to go home and change.”

Robert avoided Aaron’s eyes as he stood up, stretched some more.

“Well, I actually have a bag in my car.”

Aaron’s raised eyebrow gave an edge to the smile that graced his lips.

“I wasn’t assuming anything Aaron, I always have one because of work. You never know when you’ll end up crashing at the office.”

“Robert, it’s fine. But get it quick because the shower is calling my name and I will start without you.”

Robert waited, watched Aaron walk away in those shorts and a sweaty tee, just enjoyed the view. He still made it to the shower in record time, and Aaron didn’t disappoint. Robert was starting to wonder if the man ever really could. 

Now he was sitting back on his new favourite couch and eating the apple danish Matty had picked up for him. It was delicious and worth the knowing smile the smug git gave Robert when he saw the pair sitting together when the young man strolled in.

Then again Matty seemed to be pro-Robert so he wasn’t about to say anything. He just thanked him and shot Matty a wink that had them both laughing at their inside joke. Aaron looked up from his tablet, rolled his eyes and bit his thumbnail, a habit that Robert had picked up on; one Aaron did when he was nervous or unsettled.

Aaron got Matty on hacking into Chelsea McConnell’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Matty looked nervously at Robert.

“You’re not robbing a bank Matty, I won't arrest you.”

It would hit Robert later, how easy the morning was, how they joked around and drank their tea, discussed what to do for lunch. Their investigation was pretty much at a stand still until they could reach Emerson’s wife, the hope she would have the key to finding what they were missing. Robert didn’t know he would look back at this exact moment and be able to recollect every detail. Aaron leaning back on the sofa, hands locked behind his head. The sun was streaming in around him, making him glow. 

Robert’s tea had gone luke warm but he drained the dredges with a grimace. Matty sauntered back in, shoulders back and pride on his face.

“Her password was literally her name and the year she was born. I’m in.”

He turned on the TV and they looked at it together, Matty scrolling through pictures. There were sunsets, pictures of brunch and the occasional selfie. Nothing new or exciting, unless you were indeed an 18 year old girl. Her on the beach, posing with some girlfriends, her on the train...

“Matty, wait! Go back!”

Matty did as asked and there it was, the design Robert had seen so many times he knew the lines by heart. The petals on the flowers, blue, pink and purple. It had to be done by Shelby, their second victim.

“Sugden, what do you…”

“The tattoo, Aaron. Look at the tattoo.”

“Jesus…”

Aaron jumped up, flicking through his tablet and holding it up beside the beach photo.

‘Another bi product of my day.’

They were an exact match. Shelby McKinnon had done Chelsea McConnell’s tattoo on her thigh. They had it, their first link between victims.

“What do we know about Chelsea, Rob?”

They huddled on the couch, knees touching, heads together as they poured over the interview notes. 

“Not much but her parents have lived next door to Emerson and his wife for the three years prior to his death. They moved from up north in 2014. She said she babysat for them, so clearly they were on good terms.. Look, it says Brian and Janice McConnell. Her father owns a landscape business and the mother is a receptionist for a veterinary clinic. They had nothing but good things to say about Emerson and his family, they both claimed to be asleep in bed together the night of the murder. Emerson’s wife confirmed their cordial relationship, she said there was no issues between the couples.”

“Guys…”

Robert ignored Matty, looked into Aaron’s eyes instead.

“Given their ages it’s possible she knew MJ or interacted with him in some way. This has to be our link.”

“Guys!”

Robert huffed in annoyance as he turned his head.

“What?”

But Robert knew right away when he looked at the screen, saw the picture of Chelsea with an older gentleman. He was probably mid 40’s, brown hair, brown eyes, like any other Dad you’d see at the pub on a weeknight. He was smiling at the camera, one arm around his daughter. In front of them was a birthday cake, the candles aflame. 

The caption underneath said it all.

“My Dad, the pyromaniac.”

Brian McConnell was holding a small butane torch in his other hand.

**********

Aaron wasn’t sure if time stopped or just his heart did. Robert was on his phone in an instant, grabbing his jacket and looking at Aaron with wide eyes. It sprung him into action.

“I’ll drive.”

Aaron didn’t need to ask where they were going, that much was clear. He was so focused that it took him a second after he pulled into the street to realize that Robert was talking into his phone and Matty was somehow in the backseat, tapping away on his tablet.

“No, we won’t approach unless absolutely necessary. Then get a team there. I won’t have him hurting someone else. Yes, Ma’am.”

Robert hung up the phone and braced his hands on the dash.

“Punch it, Aaron.”

Aaron probably shouldn’t have smiled at that, but he did as he put his foot down hard and swerved around a minivan.

“There is nothing on social media about Brian McConnell. Just a few mentions on his daughter’s page. I’ve got nothing guys.”

Aaron looked in his rear view before shifting again and running a light that had horns honking as they sped through.

“Pull up his interview notes Matty.”

Matty handed Robert his tablet and Aaron couldn’t help but yell at his friend.

“And Matty, put on your damn seatbelt!”

Aaron’s voice seemed to shock him into action as he finally buckled up. Robert was mumbling in the passenger seat, and Aaron nudged him to get him to speak up.

“There’s nothing here, Aaron. Nothing to make anyone suspect. No one did a deeper dive on him. He was never on my fucking radar. Jesus Christ!”

Aaron took his hand off the gear shift, dug his fingers into Robert’s thigh, hard enough to get his attention.

“That was the whole point Rob, he wasn’t going to announce it was he? If it’s him we’ve got him. If it’s him this is almost over.”

Robert just nodded, and he seemed calm enough when he answered his phone before it could fully ring.

“We’re 30 seconds out. Dammit, Tate that's not going to work. Fuck the damn paperwork for Christ’s sake. Get some men with some goddamn firepower and get there.”

Robert hung up the phone just as Aaron slowed to a crawl in front of McConnell’s house. There was no car in the drive but the front door was wide open, that simple fact made Aaron’s stomach roll.

“Something’s wrong, Robert.”

“We have to wait for backup, we have no way to defend ourselves.”

Aaron undid his seatbelt and popped his boot.

“I have a shotgun in the back.”

Robert stared at him, it was Matty who spoke first.

“Boss, why do you have a shotgun in your boot?”

“Because I was planning to go after a serial killer today, Matty. Jesus, does it matter?”

Robert opened his door.

“Grab it, let’s go.”

Robert made his way slowly to the front of the house, not that there was any cover, and he insisted Aaron stay behind him. Aaron gestured to the gun in his hand but Robert just put his finger to his lips and accepted the PI’s scowl. At least Matty had been smart enough to stay in the car.

Aaron didn’t know what the hell they were about to walk into but he was thankful for the training he had. He kept the shotgun’s nozzle aimed at the ground but ready to swing and fire at the first moment it became necessary.

Once they crossed the doorway Aaron knew it didn’t matter. The place was chaos, the aftereffects of some sort of a struggle evident in the overturned furniture and broken glass scattered around. In the middle of it all was a woman’s bloody body on the living room floor.

*********

Robert stood outside as the cavalry finally arrived. Some uniforms cleared the house, and as suspected, Brian McConnell was long gone. The body they found was his wife Janice, stabbed twice in the chest. They must have spooked him yesterday when they came round. There was no sign of him or his daughter, and that was what had Robert the most worried. She must have been the key all along, and no doubt the stressor that finally made the man crack.

Tate approached Robert as he came on the scene.

“So it’s him then?”

Robert nodded, looked over to Aaron and Matty as they stood by the car. He felt like he failed everyone, but especially Aaron.

“He must have taken the daughter and ran. We have to get a lock on him, if she went with him willingly then there is no way she knows what he is or what he’s done. He’s not going to be able to hide it for long.”

Tate just patted his shoulder as he walked by to enter the house.

God, he’d killed his own wife. She probably figured it out or maybe tried to stop him from taking their daughter. It’s what parents were supposed to do, protect and care for their children, love them no matter what. Robert had first hand experience that wasn’t always true but this, who could ever imagine a parent doing this?

He walked over to Matty and Aaron, whose shotgun for “hunting purposes” was now stowed safely back in the boot of the car. Robert wasn’t sure he’d have been able to explain that away to the rest of his team.

“They’re trying to get a trace on their cell phones, but it’ll take some time. That is if he hasn’t ditched them already.”

Aaron gave him a grim smile and Robert appreciated the show of support, even if it didn’t do anything to appease his guilt.

They stood there in collective silence until Matty suddenly pushed off the car and clapped his hands.

“Wait, is the wife’s cell phone in the house?”

Robert looked at him puzzled.

“I don’t know, her purse was on the floor…”

“She probably has that tracking app on her phone, you know most parents do. Maybe if we could…”

Robert didn’t hear the rest of it. He was already turning, sprinting to the door. Inside he grabbed a pair of gloves, pulled them on. A scene tech was taking photograph, laying down evidence markers. She let out a small screech when Robert picked up the black purse off the floor and started to rifle through it.

Jackpot.

The phone was there, powered on but locked. Thankfully it was an iPhone and therefore had a finger reader. Tate was standing by the body, no one was supposed to touch her, waiting for Vanessa and the rest of her crew to arrive. Robert crouched by her body and ignored the shiver that went through him at the stiffness of her limbs.

“Sugden, what the hell?”

He ignored Tate, grateful that her right hand was blood free. It took three tries before he got it, but the phone shone bright, her wallpaper a family photo of happier times. God, she had no idea did she? 

“Seriously Sugden, what are you doing?”

He pulled up the “Find Friends” app, his heart stuttering to a stop when it loaded. Brian and Chelsea’s little markers disappeared and then reappeared together. At the docks, as of 30 seconds ago.

“Tate, we’ve got him. I’ll call from the car. Get a team to south side docks now.”

Tate was already on his phone when Robert ran out again, thankful that Aaron had the car running. He slid in, his eyes never wavering from the two bubbles on the screen in front of him.

“South side docks, they’re together. Fuck, Aaron he’s going to kill her.”

Aaron’s response was to squeal the tires and kick up dirt before Robert had even closed the door.

 

***********

Matty wished he’d never gotten in the car. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do. Now as they raced to another scene, where a serial killer was, well he wasn’t built for this was he? Robert was holding one phone to his ear and staring intently at the other one in his hand. Aaron was driving like all their lives depended on it, weaving in and out of traffic. Somewhere in the distance Matty could hear sirens wail. He just gripped the door handle tighter and held on.

**********

She wasn't listening. Why wasn’t she listening?

“You have to choose Baby Girl, you have to. It’s the only way.”

But she kept crying, begging for her Mom, begging him to stop. He tightened his hold on the terry cloth belt in his hand and pulled. Just enough to quiet her, he needed her quiet. 

When he finally let go she sagged against him, gasped in lungfuls of air. He could feel her shaking and a part of him wanted to stop. To wrap her in his arms and tell her it was all going to be okay. To take her home and tuck her into bed, read her a story and pretend like none of this had ever happened. 

He had to make her see, it was the only way to save her.

**********

DCI Joseph Tate prided himself on keeping a cool head. He was pretty sure that was what made him a passable detective. He could slog through it all, never let it get to him. He knew it made him seem like a cold fish but he really didn’t care.

It didn’t mean he didn’t notice the shocked faces when he yelled for a uniform officer.

“Whoever’s squad car that is in the driveway lets go. I need lights and sirens now.”

Thankfully the young officer had the sense to jog ahead of Tate, ready and willing to take the DCI wherever he needed to go.

“South side, docks. Light it up.”

He was back on the phone with Sugden within moments.

**********

DSU Chrissie White snatched her phone up before the first ring even finished.

“Sugden, they’re five minutes behind you. Do not approach.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“I mean it Sugden, we know what he’s capable of. Wait for backup, wait the five damn minutes.”

“We’re here.”

The line went dead and she braced the receiver in her hands. She knew Sugden wasn’t going to listen to her. She couldn’t help but respect him all the more for it.

**********

Aaron slammed to a stop behind the older model sedan with its doors wide open. He was out and grabbing his shotgun when he heard the first scream. Robert took off running, Matty on his heels and Aaron charging after. It was touch and go, stopping to check between each container, unsure if McConnell would have a weapon. They didn’t speak, they just moved, Aaron checking behind him every chance he got.

“Choose, Baby Girl! You have to.”

The voice was maniacal, panicked and Aaron felt his stomach drop even lower. Still it meant Chelsea was alive, at least for now, and they were close. They stopped again, Robert taking a ragged breath before stepping into the space, his hands up in surrender.

“Brian McConnell, back away from your daughter.”

Matty followed suit and Aaron almost did, but then paused instead. He hadn’t been seen yet, he was the one with the weapon. He moved as silently as he could, retracing his steps until he was on the other side of the container. He could hear the strangled cries of the young woman, could hear gasps of breath. She was alive. She was still alive.

“Don’t come any closer, please! You can’t. Don’t make me!”

Aaron moved slowly along the container, hated that he couldn’t see if Matty and Robert were safe. He just kept going, willing his body to not make a sound.

“I am DCI Robert Sugden. It’s over McConnell, put the knife down and let her go.”

Aaron felt his heart seize at Robert’s voice, McConnell had a weapon.

“Daddy please, just listen to him. Please!”

Aaron stopped at the edge of the container. He was close, but he didn’t dare look around and get his bearings. He held off, pulled the shotgun up to his chest and waited.

“Don’t come any closer! Don’t make me do it!”

“All you have to do is let her go Brian, okay. That’s all you have to do. Then we can talk about it. It’s not your fault, we’ll figure it out. We’ll get you help.”

The demented laughter that followed Robert’s voice sent a chill up Aaron’s spine.

“You don’t get it. I have to save her. I just needed more time, but you ruined it. Stupid, stupid…”

A sharp cry pierced the air and Aaron made his move.

***********

Robert wasn’t getting through to him, couldn’t reach the man lost in his own madness. Brian McConnell had his arm around his daughter’s throat and a blade pressed into her side. It was a fucking chef’s knife, the bastard was going to end her life with the same tool he’d probably used to cook her dinner. It made Robert want to be sick.

He knew Aaron wasn’t behind him, hoped he had found a way to get to McConnell’s flank. Robert was just biding time, trying to stop the man from taking one last victim.

Robert started running when he saw the blade pierce Chelsea’s side as she screamed, then a shotgun blast boomed. MCConnell let go of his daughter, raised his hands right as Aaron hit him in the face with the butt of the shotgun. McConnell crumpled to the ground as Chelsea dropped to her knees, blood seeped onto Robert’s hands as he pressed them tight against her wound.

“It’s okay Chelsea, you’re gonna be okay. Help is coming.”

Finally the sound of sirens broke through the air.

**********

Aaron was vibrating as he kicked the knife away from McConnell’s hand. He was a lot rougher than he needed to be when he rolled the semi-conscious man onto his stomach, held his arms behind him.

“Is she alive? Is my daughter alive?”

Aaron didn’t get a chance to respond before sirens drowned out everything. It was mass confusion after that. An officer got cuffs on McConnell and it took another two men to get him to his feet. He struggled, screaming for his daughter as blood covered his face. A medic team was there, already had Chelsea on a stretcher. A female officer was holding her hand and crawling into the back of an ambulance with her.

Aaron searched for Matty and saw him leaning against the container, drawing in deep breaths and looking like he was about to cry. He searched for Robert, found him standing with Tate, wiping his hands on a towel someone had given him. Aaron realized then Robert had still had the gloves on from before, saving his hands from being stained red.

Their eyes met for a second.

_You’re okay?_

_I’m okay._

Then Tate was heading towards Aaron to get his statement about what had happened. 

Where the fuck did he even begin?

**********

Robert hated to admit it but once he saw that both Aaron and Matty were okay he couldn’t give them any more thought or attention. The medics took Brian McConnell to the hospital, where they gave him a shot of something to calm him down. They’d be keeping him overnight under heavy guard for observation. Robert doubted he would pass any psych evaluation that would let him even go to trial, or pay fully for his actions.

Chelsea McConnell was rushed to surgery but thankfully her injury was minor compared to what it could have been. They would get a statement from her when she woke up. Her only family in the world now, an Aunt on her mother’s side, was keeping vigil at her bedside.

Robert didn’t know if Chelsea was aware her mother was dead. He just hoped she was made of stronger stuff than her father.

A uniform gave him and Tate a ride back to McConnell’s house as the evidence team found a stash of trophies in the garage. The fucker had kept the eyeballs in jars, lined up alongside his woodworking tools in a cabinet. 

They’d also found writings, ramblings as if McConnell was communicating with another person. They were haunting to read, to know that you never truly saw what lurked behind a person’s facade.

McConnell wrote about “water cleansing the soul clean” and “showing them the light after death.” There were lines begging for forgiveness, begging for redemption and even worse still, begging for the strength to do what needed to be done.

One thing was clear, Brian McConnell had once identified as bisexual and someone had broken him because of it. Robert felt a tiny bit of sympathy for him before he squashed it. He’d save his feelings for the victims and their families, for Chelsea.

When Robert finally got back to the station there was a buzz in the air. Everyone was excited they’d finally caught their guy, racing around to find out everything they could. Pouring over evidence, looking into McConnell’s history, honestly it just made Robert tired.

He was so fucking tired.

**********

“Why didn’t you shoot him?”

When Matty and Aaron had finally been cleared to leave the scene Robert was already gone. Aaron didn’t fault him for dealing with the matters at hand but he was still concerned. He could only imagine Robert was feeling what Aaron did, coming down from the adrenaline high and aching all over.

He’d driven them back to the office, both of them not saying a word. Matty seemed engrossed in his phone the whole ride, Aaron didn’t ask why.

It wasn’t until they were inside that Aaron realized how much had changed in such a few short hours. Robert’s empty tea mug was still on the coffee table, half of Aaron’s danish now stale on its plate. They’d done it, together, just like Aaron knew they could. He’d never doubted them, at least not when it came to the work.

The rest, well that was another story.

Matty came in just as Aaron sat on the couch, his phone in his hands. He wanted to text Robert, check on him, get an update on Chelsea, something to settle the constant roll in his gut. Matty’s question made him look up in surprise and raise his eyebrows.

“I saw it all, honestly I can’t stop seeing it. But you didn’t shoot him, you aimed away from him. Why?”

Aaron rubbed his face and replayed the moment on a loop in his mind.

“Because I could have hit her, I didn’t have a clean shot. I just needed to startle him, get him to lose focus, take him by surprise. I’m just grateful it worked.”

Matty shoved his hands into his jacket pocket and nodded.

“Boss, I can stay if you like, if you don’t want to be alone.”

Aaron shook his head.

“I’ll be fine. You going to be okay?”

Matty’s face brightened for a brief second.

“Yeah, I’m going to meet Anna for dinner. After today....”

Aaron gave him a genuine smile. He knew Anna was just as head over heels for Matty as he was for her. The two of them so obvious but both too scared to risk their friendship.

“Good for you mate.”

“I just realized life is short. You don’t know what’s coming your way. You could get hit by a bus or your Dad could lose his mind and try to kill you. Gotta take the leaps, right?”

Matty looked at him for a second longer. Aaron realized that Matty’s words were as much for his boss’s benefit as for his own. Say nothing else about Matty Barton, he’d always been a good friend.

“Take tomorrow off alright, I think we could both use the break.”

“Night, Aaron.”

He watched his friend go and looked down at the phone in his hands. Take the leap? Was it really that easy? 

He stayed sitting there too long, night falling as he willed his phone to ring, to beep, anything to let him know how Robert was doing, that he was okay. When it finally lightened up with a text he felt his heart seize. Time to jump.

**R: Can you buzz me in? I’m outside.**

**********

Robert finally left the office after a briefing with Chrissie and her pointing out he still had blood on his shirt. She gave him a job well done, a reprimand for not waiting for backup and promise to let him know if anything imperative came up in the next 36 hours. Other than that she didn’t want to see his face.

“Ma’am, there is so much evidence to go through.”

She clicked her tongue and crossed her arms, her red nails harsh against her white blouse.

“And we have months to build a case, if it even comes to that. Tate can handle it for now. We’ve got him Sugden, and you saved a life today. Don’t you think that’s deserving of a good night’s sleep?”

He didn’t bother to argue, just made his way out of her office and out to his car. Every officer he passed wanted to shake his hand, give him a pat on the back and a congratulations. It wasn’t until he was outside that he realized his car was still parked on the street outside Aaron’s office. He hailed a cab as it drove by and fell asleep on the short trip, the driver honking his horn to wake him.

He was halfway to his car, keys out when he looked up at the darkened windows of Aaron’s office. Still he knew Aaron was there, could feel him.

Maybe if he hadn’t been so damn weary he might not have pulled out his phone as he walked down the alley to the door. When it came to Aaron he didn’t have the energy for games. If it wasn’t going to go his way Robert needed to know that, the sooner the better. He typed out his message and pressed send, thankful that the door clicked open a few seconds later.

The stairs felt like a mountain but he climbed them anyway. He was surprised to see Aaron waiting in the hall for him, standing with his hands in his jean pockets, a concerned look on his face. 

“Hey.”

Just the sound of Aaron’s voice and Robert felt the relief wash over him.

“Hey.”

They met in the middle, Aaron’s arms holding his, foreheads pressed together.

“Chelsea?”

“Going to make a full recovery, physically at least.”

Aaron kissed him then, sweet and slow, there was no heat, just softness.

“Come on.”

Aaron took his hand and led Robert up the spiral staircase. He didn’t stop tugging him along until they were in Aaron’s bedroom, the bedside lamp casting the room in a warm glow.

“You want a shower?”

Robert shook his head as Aaron slide his jacket down his arms. He toed out of his shoes as Aaron eyed the blood drops on the front of his shirt. He didn’t say anything, just unbuttoned it quickly. Next thing Robert knew he was in only his underwear, blankets pulled back as Aaron pushed him gently onto the bed.

Robert pulled the comforter up to his chest and closed his eyes. He felt fingers comb through his hair and he resisted the urge to sigh. He could hear Aaron shuffling about the room until finally the light went out and a warm body pressed against his. He let Aaron’s arm wrap around him, sunk into the heat of skin along his back, the small press of lips to his neck.

“Aaron?”

“Sleep, we can talk later.”

Robert yawned and linked their fingers together.

“Tomorrow, Dingle.”

“I’ll be here, Sugden.”

Robert squeezed Aaron’s hand and slept.

***********

Aaron woke up long before Robert, who was sprawled out with Aaron half laying on top of him. He’d given Matty the day off, so Aaron had nowhere to be and nothing to do. Instead he just laid there, rolled his eyes at Robert’s soft snores and debated his next move. 

Aaron wasn’t exactly a talker but it was evident that a conversation was to be had. He knew how he felt. He was almost certain how Robert felt. Could you feel too much too soon? Did that spell disaster? Probably? Maybe?

It turned out the minutes he laid there worrying were a waste of time. That is if his head pressed to Robert’s chest and their legs tangled together could ever be considered a waste of time, which Aaron couldn’t ever imagine being true.

He thought about getting up, making them something to eat, maybe going down to Doug’s for coffee and a danish, but all future plans paled in comparison to what he was actually doing. Laying beside Robert had quickly become one of Aaron’s favourite things.

So that was the answer than wasn’t it?

A soft groan and fingers moving through his hair let him know Robert was coming to. Aaron twisted his body so his chin was still on Robert’s chest but he could take in the disheveled hair and sleepy green eyes.

“What time is it?”

Yeah, Robert’s raspy voice first thing in the morning was another new favourite thing.

“Past 9:00.”

“Seriously? I can’t remember the last time I slept for 8 hours in a row.”

Robert smiled at him, full and bright. Aaron decided right in that moment to just jump, head first.

“Well, your boyfriend has a very expensive bed.”

He was met with the sharp intake of Robert’s breath and the pounding of blood in his own ears. It was only a few seconds before Robert was kissing him full on the mouth, and pining Aaron under him. Aaron pulled away, unable to stop the laugh that bubbled up.

“I thought you wanted to talk, Sugden.”

Robert rolled his hips and Aaron groaned, watched those eyes darken above him.

“Shut up, Dingle. Your boyfriend has other plans.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that’s it, for now. But I have a feeling I won’t be saying goodbye to these two for good though. 
> 
> Thanks for coming on this ride with me. I appreciate you all!


End file.
